From Saurav Bora
GUWAHATI: Newly-elected MLA from Nongpoh Mayralborn Syiem has pledged to accord top priority to the education sector.
A first-time legislator, Syiem, who took over from his illustrious predecessor, former chief minister DD Lapang, said the issue of upgrading Ri Bhoi College in Nongpoh to a government institution would be pursued with the new dispensation at the earliest.
Syiem had won the Nongpoh seat on a Congress ticket.
Lapang, who had represented Nongpoh for four decades and is currently the adviser to Meghalaya PCC, had withdrawn his candidature in the run-up to the Assembly elections as he wanted to project a young face from the constituency.
Denying any possibility of delay in the process to upgrade the college given that his party is currently in the opposition bench, the MLA said he shared cordial relations with legislators in the new government.
“I share cordial relations with legislators in the ruling coalition and it is my duty to follow up as Ri Bhoi is yet to have a full-fledged government college,” Syiem told this correspondent on Tuesday.
He further said the issue of Northern Ri Bhoi College at Umden, about 20km from Nongpoh, would be taken up at the appropriate time.
Lapang had in an interview with The Shillong Times recently was all praise for his young successor, saying Syiem had the qualification and potential to deliver the goods, including seeing through his “unfinished task” of setting up the Northern Ri Bhoi College.
Syiem committed that the Northern Ri Bhoi College at Umden, about 20km from Nongpoh town, would be set up at the appropriate time.
Apart from education, the MLA said tourism was on his radar and that new tourist destinations would be located and infrastructure developed in due course.
“We are looking at locating and promoting new destinations in the constituency. Promotion of Margnar Lake near Umden is under way and we will send proposals to make the Nongpoh-Umden road two lane,” Syiem said.
At present, the road leading to Margnar Lake is dilapidated.
Despite footfall to the lake increasing over the years with the Tourism Department taking up beautification work, sustaining a healthy flow of visitors could be a challenge in the long run if the approach road is not improved.
The MLA said he would also pursue the issue of providing farmers the requisite market linkages for realisation of better prices.
“Besides, I plan to help talented sportsmen from the district to excel and bring laurels to the state and country,” he added.