GUWAHATI: Nongpoh MLA, Mayral Born Syiem on Friday met chief minister Conrad K Sangma and submitted a letter requesting the state government to speed up implementation of different programmes under the “Aspirational Districts” programme in Ri Bhoi district.
Ri Bhoi district was selected as an “aspirational district” by the Centre last year.
NITI Aayog has identified 117 districts as “aspirational districts”.
These districts have been selected on the basis of composite index which includes published data of deprivation enumerated under socio-economic caste census, health and nutrition, education and basic infrastructure.
“Under this initiative of the central government, there is high hope that different sectors like health, sanitation, education, connectivity, etc will be greatly benefitted. In this regard, I humbly request you to kindly speed up the implementation of different schemes under the programme in Ri Bhoi district,” Syiem wrote in the letter to the chief minister.
Launched in January last year, the ‘Transformation of Aspirational Districts Programme’ aims to quickly and effectively transform the aspirational districts.
The broad contours of the programme are convergence (of central and state schemes), collaboration (of central, state level ‘prabhari’ officers and district collectors), and competition among districts driven by a mass movement.
With states as the main drivers, this programme would focus on the strength of each district, identify low-hanging fruits for immediate improvement, measure progress, and rank districts.
The Nongpoh MLA also met the Meghalaya border areas development minister, Lahkmen Rymbui on Friday and requested him to include Nongpoh legislative Assembly constituency in the Inter State Border Area Development Programme (ISBADP).
In a letter submitted to the minister, Syiem mentioned that the Inter State Border Area Development Programme has achieved a lot in developing the areas along the border with Assam.
“However, it is sad to know that Nongpoh LAC, which shares around 50km border with neighbouring Assam, is not included in the programme. Therefore, I humbly request you to kindly include Nongpoh LAC in the programme so that we can protect our state border by engaging in different developmental projects,” the letter to the minister read.
The MLA also stated that the programme is imperative for Nongpoh LAC given the tension in villages outside the area of difference as well.
“Only Jirang and Mawhati LACs have been included in the ISBADP for the last five years. So I have requested the minister to incorporate under the programme,” Syiem told The Shillong Times.