SHILLONG: Meghalaya Government on Thursday announced the creation of a new Community and Rural Development (C & RD) block which is likely to be called Mawpat block.
Speaking to media persons after holding a meeting on the creation of Mawlai Community and Rural Development block at the Main Secretariat, Chief Minister, Mukul Sangma said that Mylliem block would now be bifurcated into Mawlai block and a new block will be named based on its location.
Mylliem C&RD block at the moment has population of more than 3 lakhs as per the Census report of 2011 and after the creation of the new block, Mylliem will have around 1.3 lakh population while the new block will have population of around 1.8 lakhs
“The proposed establishment of the new blocks is focused on serving the most vulnerable people,” Sangma told reporters.
The matter pertaining to creation of new blocks was also reviewed by the Chief Minister with the officers of the finance department on Wednesday and the review meeting also looked at the resources for C&RD department.
Sangma informed that the C&RD department had been given highest budgetary allocation of around Rest 1600 crore in the year 2016-17 so that the stakeholders could have an easy access to the Government programmes.
When asked about the location of the office for Mawlai block, Sangma said that people of Mawlai had more or less taken a decision on the matter and they were trying to give the best place. “Officers will go there and we will inaugurate the two blocks at the earliest,” Sangma said
It was also opined that it will be more convenient for the people of Mawdiandiang areas to be a part of the new block.
Meanwhile, AL Hek who also attended the meeting said that the new block is likely to be called Mawpat block.
He also termed the decision of the government to create Mawpat block as ‘wonders” decisions. The meeting was also attended by Nongthymmai MLA Jemino Mawthoh, Mawlai MLA, Embhah Syiemlieh, cabinet ministers, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, Sniawbhalang Dhar and NGOs from Mawlai.