SHILLONG: The National People’s Party (NPP) has put emphasis on 11 policies, including education and mining, in its election manifesto released during a rally in Jowai on Thursday.
Coined as ‘People’s Document’, the NPP manifesto highlights the key aspects of governance in areas of economic planning and development, education, healthcare, infrastructure, public utilities delivery systems, agriculture, employment generation, youth welfare, women empowerment and environmental protection.
Conrad Sangma, the party’s national president, said the main thrust of the Document is to bring about the much-needed change, which the people of Meghalaya are desperately longing for.
The People’s Document talks about formulating an “effective education policy” redrafting the school curriculum in line with the NCERT guidelines.
The party also promised to set up a higher secondary school with all infrastructure, like library and science laboratory, in every block and sub-division.
Through its proposed mining policy, the party looks to find “amicable and acceptable solutions” to the current ban on major and minor minerals, including coal.
Conrad reiterated how Mukul Sangma failed to take up the issue with the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It has been more than four years that NGT has banned coal mining in Meghalaya but the government remained non-committal in resolving the issue. They did not even respond to NGT and direction from the Centre to draft the mining policy for Meghalaya,” he said.
NPP has also vowed to review the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act, 2004, which has turned into a bone of contention in autonomous councils.
While the People’s Document talks about a climate change cell in the Forest and Wildlife Department, it stresses the need for sustainable and eco-friendly industrial policy.
“This Document is not just another election manifesto; it is the foundation on which the contractual obligation between the party and the people of Meghalaya stands. It is not only our guiding light but will also act as a constant reminder of our promise to the people of Meghalaya which we must honour at all costs,” said Conrad.
On women’s safety, the NPP manifesto pledged to strengthen women’s cells in police stations. It also speaks about upgrading all police stations and outposts and setting up state-of-the-art forensic science laboratories.
Pointing at the severe power crisis in the state, the party pitched for a power policy and promoting green energy.
An agriculture and horticulture policy was also among the 11 policies mooted by the party.
“This is a very important moment in the history of Meghalaya because the National People’s Party, along with the people will rise to the challenge of re-imagining and re-creating not only the destiny of the state, but most importantly, the present reality of our people,” Conrad said at the rally in Jowai.
NPP candidates Prestone Tynsong and Sniawbhalang Dhar were among present at the event. Conrad, who addressed two other rallies at Jalaphet in Saipung-Sutnga constituency and Pashang in Mawkynrew constituency, blamed the Congress for communalising the election as “it was scared of NPP’s growing popularity”.
“I don’t have to prove my faith and believe to the Congress. It is sad that Congress is using religion as an issue to divide the community for their political gains,” he said.
