TURA: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has announced that the remote Chokpot region of South Garo Hills will soon get a community college while Baghmara civil hospital will be upgraded through an extension plan that the government is working on to include in the upcoming state budget.
The chief minister, who was on a two day visit to the remote South Garo Hills district, on Thursday said that a total sum of Rs 22 crores has been earmarked for tourism development in South Garo Hills.
Out of this amount, a sum of Rs 9 crore has been sanctioned to develop tourism sites at Siju, where the world renowned Siju Caves are located and a further Rs 13 crore has been allocated for renovation and beautification of various tourist spots in Baghmara.
Addressing the gathering during a felicitation programme at the Government Higher Secondary School playground in Baghmara, Sangma said he felt sad that despite South Garo Hills generating the maximum revenue for the state, it has not been given its due share.
“Our government is going to set up nine community colleges this year in different parts of the state and Chokpot constituency in South Garo Hills is one of them which has been selected because it is in the interior and in need of development,” Sangma said.
“These community colleges would be provided with adhoc grants and infrastructure by the government and it will go a long way in providing higher education for our students,” informed the chief minister.
He also added that the foundation stone for Chokpot Community College would be laid on February 2 this year.
To improve medical care, the chief minister stated that an extension plan is being taken up to strengthen facilities and services at Baghmara Civil Hospital.
The hospital is the only medical centre catering to the needs of people residing in Rongara, Mahadeo, Maheskola, Siju, Sibbari, Rewak and other remote areas.
“The government has also decided to construct a new circuit house at Baghmara which will have more rooms and facilities for visiting officials, tourists and others,” he said. Highlighting his government’s efforts in bringing much needed central funding for developmental works in the state, Sangma informed that under the central government’s PMGSY scheme, funding has been raised from a meagre Rs 160 crores during the financial year 2017-18 to Rs 600 crores for 2018-19.
“Even the CRS scheme from the centre which was only Rs 60 crores for Meghalaya has this year been raised to 320 crore. The Rural Infrastructure Development Fund has been raised from 100 to 200 crores and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) funding has been raised from 6-700 crores to over a thousand crores,” he said. The chief minister also called upon all to work as a team and ensure that schemes reach the people.
The chief minister concluded by saying: “If we work as a team including the district officials, bureaucrats and political leaders, transformation of the state can happen.”
NPP MLAs Marcuise Marak of Williamnagar, Rupert Momin of Kharkutta and Rakkam A Sangma of Siju-Rongara were also present during the felicitation programme.
