A first in cabinet roll call: Tura’s take home moment
TURA: In a rare political first of sorts on what could set a healthy precedent for a robust democracy, the Conrad Sangma led MDA government in the state has geared up for its first cabinet meeting in Tura on Monday afternoon with ministers and top bureaucrats of the state descending to this most important town of Garo Hills for this significant event.
Bringing home his entire cabinet to the second largest town in the state, nestled on the western most part of the state, the who’s who of the government, beginning from the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong to Meghalaya’s Chief Secretary P S Thangkhiew have all pitched camp, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma termed Tura’s first ever cabinet meet as “significant”.
“It is significant for the fact that it is taking place in Tura for the first time. This will give immense importance to Garo Hills since a review of the performance of the various government departments in the region will be taken up including a conference of all the deputy commissioners of the state,” said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while speaking to The Shillong Times on Sunday afternoon.
The conference of the deputy commissioners from all the districts of the state will be taking place on Tuesday morning in the presence of the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues.
The chief minister also informed that a review of the health, community and rural development and power departments will be personally taken up by him during this two day high profile assembly of ministers and bureaucrats.
On Monday morning the chief minister is paying a visit to the Ganol Hydel project site to review the ongoing work and,later in the day, shall be bestowing financial awards to over one thousand Self Help Groups from the Garo Hills region itself.
According to Meghalaya Commissioner and Secretary P Sampath Kumar, the selected SHGs will have an interaction with the chief minister and will also be presented with a ‘Community Investment Fund’ of fifty thousand rupees each.
These SHGs, particularly the women groups, have been selected for the award based on their grading which takes into account their performance and financial health.
The grading takes into account the kind of loans given to the SHG, its utilisation, repayment and savings.
Along with the SHGs financial awards, as many as eight women Community Resource Persons who have played a key role in mobilising women to form SHGs and imparted training to them to start a successful group venture are also going to be honoured by the chief minister during the awards function at the SMELC auditorium at Dakopgre.
The cabinet meeting which is scheduled to take place at 3 O’clock Monday afternoon at the Tura circuit house is expected to see the government clearing several important files concerning development of the state.
Post the cabinet meeting, the chief minister is scheduled to also hold a discussion on district survey report with the officials of the Forest and Environment Department and the Mining and Geology Department of the state at the circuit house itself.
Key Points of Meeting
Monday morning:
CM reviews Ganol Hydel Project work.
12 Noon at SMELC building: C&RD Dept programme awarding SHGs with Community Investment Fund.
3 PM: Cabinet meeting at Tura Circuit house at 3 PM Monday.
5 PM Circuit house: Discussion with District Survey Report with officials of forest and Environment Department and mining and Geology Department.
Tuesday Morning: Conference of Deputy commissioners of the state at Circuit House.