SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told a delegation of Ri-Bhoi Students’ Union (RBSU) that he would look into the need to set up a government college in and around Umroi area even as he told them that the government is facing financial constraints.
The RBSU met the Chief Minister on Thursday to place before him the long-pending demand of the union for the setting up o a f government College in Ri-Bhoi in addition to the existing Ri-Bhoi College.
The union members told reporters that the Ri-Bhoi College situated at Nongpoh can cater to only those students residing in villages in Nongpoh area whereas it is discouraging for the aspiring students from Mawhati, Umroi and Umsning as the distance is far.
Asked, president of RBSU Everjoy Nongpluh said students prefer to study in Shillong.
In the memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, the union said that the students from Mawhati, Umroi and Umsning waste their time and expenditure while travelling to Nongpoh.
In addition, the union also flagged the problem of traffic jams along the NH-40 which land students in difficult situations as they get caught up in traffic congestion.
The union also said that less fortunate students who cannot afford to study face major problems resulting in increase in the numbers of drop-outs.
Widening of roads
Submitting another memorandum to the CM, the RBSU also made a request to widen the existing National Highway (NH)-40 from Umtrew Bridge to Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad junction and upgrade the Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad from a single road to a two lane road and declare it as a new National Highway.
Sangma assured the union that he would look into the matter.
The union pointed out that with the upgradation of Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad it would serve as permanent alternate road for commuters plying towards Upper Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
The union said that the road would bring about overall development, improvement and create employment to more than 1500 villages in Umsning and Mawhati constituencies.
In addition, the union also said that the Cabinet Committee on economic affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on March 22, 2017 had given its approval for development in approximately 52 km in Meghalaya and 351 km in Mizoram at an estimate cost of Rs 6721 crore.
In this connection, the union urged the CM to allot extra distance of 40 kms for widening of Umtrew Bridge Umsning-Mawhati-Jagiroad junction.