SHILLONG, Jan 21: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday said some 300 projects will be inaugurated during the celebration of the 50th year of Meghalaya’s statehood.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebration virtually, he remembered former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, former Governor BK Nehru and the state’s first Chief Minister, Capt. Williamson Sangma who were around when Meghalaya attained statehood.
“The last 50 years have been very challenging for us. At the same time, a lot of work has gone into bringing the state to where it is. Many governments, many individuals, many public leaders have contributed in terms of the development of our state,” Sangma said.
He said the infrastructure development has come a long way from 150 km of National Highways when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam to more than 1,000 km today.
“We have seen great contribution in terms of giving functional household taps where we were at 4,500 households and today, we are almost crossing 2 lakh households. We have seen great strides in rural connectivity, PMGSY, and in MGNREGS works,” he said.
Informing the people that the much-delayed Crowborough Hotel will be completed this year, Sangma said the government has also initiated the work to complete the state Assembly building within a few months.
“In a few days from now, I will also be inaugurating the IT Park which will create 1,500 jobs for our youth. This will be only a beginning, and I assure you we will expand the IT Park to ensure that we are able to cover more areas and provide more job opportunities,” he said.
The CM said the new administrative set-up in New Shillong Township, for which the foundation stone was laid on Friday, has been a long-pending requirement for decongesting Shillong and for giving the capital a planned look.
More than 800 acres of land has already been procured and within a few months the government will be starting some of the work in these areas, he said and hoped the state administration can shift to the new Secretariat soon.
On the vexed boundary dispute, he said his government tried to take the discussion initiated by the past governments to its logical conclusion.
“In the last few months, different committees were formed to visit the different locations, visit all the 36 villages in six areas of differences. After the visits, reports were submitted to the respective state governments, which in turn submitted the reports to MHA. I am hopeful that in the next few weeks and months, we should be able to come to a concrete solution in these six areas,” Sangma said.
He assured that the government will inaugurate an average of one project a day – 300 in all – in the state while addressing issues relating to the environment and climate change.
“I have already announced a vision that in the next 10 years, Meghalaya should be among the top 10 states. In order to be able to fulfil the goal, we must all – different political parties, individuals and organisations – work together, overcoming the challenges we face. It is only by working together in the interest of our people that will be able to take our state to new heights,” he said.