SHILLONG: Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will improve healthcare facilities in Meghalaya along with improvement of roads in the state.
Though the primary task of JICA is to ensure road connectivity, the agency has gone beyond this and decided to set up healthcare facilities in the state.
The study team on Tuesday evaluated the progress of data collection, analysis and feasibility inputs regarding the North East connectivity improvement project proposed in Meghalaya, besides Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Assam.
The JICA sector-loan programme is primarily aimed at improvement of connectivity with emphasis on state highways and major district roads, including efforts to devise strategies like construction of ring road, bypass and others for decongestion of traffic within Shillong master plan area.
A significant feature of this innovative module is development of healthcare facilities together with road connectivity, with provision for considering education sector if feasible.
The state government will identify and prioritise the roads and state-of-the-art healthcare facilities required to be established in the state.
The first meeting of the 10-member JICA study team was held with senior state officials chaired by Lambor Malngiang, chairman of the State Planning Board on April 24.
The study team comprising H Yamane, Ayako Kondo and North East Advisor of the team Naba Bhattacharjee held discussion with Health Minister AL Hek on developing the healthcare sector, including delivery of improved diagnostic facility and installation of latest equipment.
The minister assured all assistance to the team and reviewed the progress so far.
Later, the delegation also held interactive session with the chairman of the State Planning Board and briefed him on the study progress so far followed by meeting with other senior officials of the Planning, Secretary and Chief Engineer of PWD and health officials.
The interim report of the study team will be released by August this year after which the final report with recommendation for funding will be submitted to JICA for sanction in October.
