SHILLONG: The state government is trying to merge the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) and the Central Health Insurance Scheme, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma informed the House on Friday.
Replying to the discussion on budget, the chief minister said the government would also make efforts to enroll more people under the MHIS.
Admitting that there is a shortage of medical staff in the state, Sangma added that efforts are being made to pursue the matter of setting up two medical colleges in the state. He also mentioned that the government would upgrade as many as 32 health sub-centres into health and wellness centres.
Making a clarion call for providing solar lights to the CHCs and PHCs in the state, he further opined that even the refrigeration in the health centres should be linked to solar lights.
Responding to queries raised by the Opposition members during the discussion, Sangma said the floriculture sector is not dwindling but flourishing in the state even as he maintained that 500 hectares of land is under the floriculture sector.He, however, stressed on the need to improve the logistics for storage and quick transportation of floriculture products and other perishable products from Meghalaya to other states.
“All the government offices and institutions in the state will be made disabled-friendly since many of the offices here don’t have ramps and necessary signs for the people with disability,” the chief minister said.
A programme would also be held in the state later this year where aids would be distributed to around 2000-3000 beneficiaries, he added.
Cave tourism expansion
The chief minister also said that the government is endeavoring to enhance cave tourism and the matter was also taken up with the Union Tourism Minister recently.
According to Sangma, the development of some caves has been taken up in the state though at a very small level.
National Games
On the upcoming National Games 2022, the chief minister said that the National Games Organising Committee was constituted recently and they are going all out to ensure that the Meghalaya hosts the event in a grand way while adding that necessary support is being provided to the sports associations and athletes in the state to ensure that they win medals at the mega event. He also told the House that the government wants to cover all the districts in the state with astro-turfs for football.