TURA: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma on Monday stressed on the need to work in tandem and in close coordination and synchronize services among the different departments of the government for achieving better results.
Sangma said this while inaugurating the District Early Intervention Centre at Tura where he informed that the state government headed by him was giving highest priority to the health sector ‘and with this thought and objective in mind, the government of Meghalaya is trying to find out ways and means how the government can improve the overall health of the people. “The health sector occupies the highest echelon in the pyramid,” he added.
However, the Chief Minister said that this does not mean other sectors are less important but that government must prioritize the social services and go according to the needs and insurgencies of the society at large.
The Chief Minister also said that it is not always the hefty allocation of budgets but the attitudes and the mindsets that determines the success of the programmes and policies. Extending his points on this, he said that the different government departments must shed away the culture of working in ‘silos’ but must develop the attitudes and habits of working in team and integrate schemes and projects for better results in service of the people.
Emphasizing the need for evolving the scientific mechanism while formulating policies and services, the Chief Minister informed that the government would adopt data driven policies to plug the wastage of precious and scarce resources, this he said would enable the government to know the correct and exact facts and figures while implementing the schemes. In this regard, the state government was in touch with IT agencies to develop software whereby the government could easily figure out for example, how of expected women are there in a particular district, he said, adding that the Meghalaya Government would tie-up with one popular private hospital based in the national capital to work in a field which would enable Meghalaya ‘a TB free’ state.
Among others who were present and spoke on the occasion, included Thomas A. Sangma, North Tura MLA and Adviser to the Chief Minister, Ram Singh, Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills District. A power point presentation on the progress of RBSK &DEIC was also conducted by Dr Ivonne M. Sangma, Nodal Officer, RBSK, Tura.
It may be mentioned that the just inaugurated District Early Intervention Centre, which is attached to District Maternity & Child Hospital, Tura, was actually completed a year before and is functioning already. It could not be inaugurated last year due to existence of Model Code of Conduct on account general election to the Lok Sabha. The Centre is the second such institution in the state after the one in Shillong built under RBSK scheme; and is a one stop Centre for treating the children born with congenital deformities and other children related diseases and caters to all the regions of Garo Hills. As far as the figure provided by the Nodal Officer, RBSK, Tura is concerned, as of now 8640 children have been referred to the Centre, many of whom were treated successfully of their ailments.
The Green School with Smart Classroom under Project Star at New Tura Secondary School, Tura was also inaugurated on the same day by the Chief Minister.
Appreciating the efforts of the Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Ram Singh and his team for initiating the renovation of the school building and introducing smart classroom for students under Project Star, the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma congratulated and urged him to continue his noble initiative in his future endeavours. Meanwhile, recalling his late father P A Sangma’s words he said “If you want to see changes and progress in the State, then it can be done only through education since when people are educated they become responsible citizens in future. Added to this he said that most of the social problems in our society happens due to illiteracy which leads to many related problems in a person’s life.
Therefore, contemplating on all these problems, the government is focusing and giving priority to the education sector and have earmarked 1400 crores for education and related matters in the State of Meghalaya, the Chief Minister said. Stating that the State has 60,000 teachers and 12, 000 schools, he said that it is almost difficult to attend all their needs at one go but, informed that the government is trying their best to provide necessary infrastructure and other related matters gradually in due course of time.
Futher, advising the students to study hard and to take the opportunity of the smart facilities being provided to them, he urged them to focus on their studies and dream big and become responsible and productive citizen so as to make their parents as well the state proud for their valuable contribution in future.
While addressing the gathering as Guest of Honour, Thomas A Sangma said the the first of its kind and unique Smart Classroom being provided for the students is hoped to help them learn and understand better and improve their knowledge capacity and make them smart citizens in future.
Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills Ram Singh in his keynote address informed that the renovation of the school and installation of smart classroom had been done by the District Administration in collaboration with IBDLP, SCSTE and NHIDCL under corporate social responsibility. During the inaugural function, the President, School Managing Committee K A Sangma highlighted the brief background and history of the school and informed that the school has been started in the year 1974 with the initiaive of Late Limbert K Sangma and other members while the land for the said school had been donated by Nazing Nokma, Nokma of Danakgre A’king land.
The Chief Guest along with other dignitaries also unveiled the plague for Smart Classroom and handed over the potable water filter to the students during the function.