SHILLONG, March 4: The state government has made an expenditure of Rs 29.24 crore on COVID-19 between April 2021 and January 2022.
Revealing this in his address to the House on Friday, Governor Satya Pal Malik said, “The Chief Minister’s Secretariat had taken a number of initiatives under Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund (CMSDF) and Chief Minister’s Special Grant (CMSG) during the financial year 2021-22.”
“Under the CMSG, a total of Rs 29.24 crore was spent on expenditures relating to COVID-19 for the year 2021-22 as on January, 2022,” he added.
Malik said the expenditure includes an assistance of Rs 50,000 as a one-time ex gratia payment to the next of kin of those who lost their lives due to COVID-19 since April 1, 2021 and another Rs 4.70 crore was spent under the CMSG for payment of provision kits for those under home quarantine and for the community COVID management teams.
Health infra
The Governor also listed the initiatives of the government with regard to upgradation and improvement of health care infrastructure across the state.
“These include COVID-19 Step-Down Hospital at Umsawli; a paediatric intensive care unit at Ganesh Das Hospital; emergency & casualty wing at Tirot Sing Memorial Hospital, Mairang; liquid medical oxygen plants at Jengjal and Umsawli; 100-bed health facilities in Tura, Shillong and Khliehriat; four new primary health centres at Lawbah, Marmain, Kasiabari and Raksamgre and a state-of-the-art diagnostic centre at Pasteur Institute, Shillong,” he said.
Informing that the state government has initiated the Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project (MHSSP) funded by the World Bank with the aim to infuse around USD 40 million in a span of 5 years to strengthen the overall health system in the state, he informed, “The objective of the project is to improve management capacity, quality, and utilization of health services in Meghalaya. Till date works worth Rs 45 crore have been awarded for strengthening the infrastructure of health facilities across the state.”
MOTHER programme
The Governor said the government has taken significant steps to reduce infant and maternal deaths by launching the Meghalaya’s Outcomes oriented Transformation in Health, nutrition, Education and Rural development or MOTHER programme to track pregnant mothers for increasing institutional deliveries and reducing maternal and infant death.
“Over 1,41,374 mothers have been tracked so far and about 28,000 mothers are tracked at any given point of time. This has resulted in reduction in maternal death by 9% and reduction in infant death by 21% in 2021 as compared to 2020,” the Governor said.
JJM success
The Governor also pointed out that a total of 1,20,815 households have been provided with functional household tap connections (FHTCs) out of the targetted 3,38,903 household for the financial year 2021-22 under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM).
The total number of rural households in Meghalaya is 5,89,888 out of which 2,14,449 households or 36.35% have been provided with FHTCs, he said, adding that 100% households in 1,287 villages of the state have been provided with tap connections.
Road connectivity
Talking about the government’s initiative in the area of public works, the Governor said the total length of all categories of roads in the state is 11,442 km.
He said construction and widening of critical road projects like NH-40 between Shillong and Dawki; widening of Tura-Dalu road and upgradation of Nongstoin-Wahkaji road are all in good progress and under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 1174 schemes amounting to Rs 3,034 crore and covering a length of 4755.19 km have been sanctioned. 799 road works covering a length of 3,546.5 km have been completed and 44 out of 112 sanctioned long span bridges have been constructed, the Governor told the Assembly.
Boost to education
The Governor further said that the state government will set up as many as nine peoples’ colleges which will be managed by local communities. Additionally, three new polytechnics are being initiated at Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills while construction of the Williamnagar Polytechnic is nearing completion.
He further said that 200 elementary schools and eight secondary and higher secondary schools will get new infrastructure under the State Plan.
Upgradation of a further 100 elementary schools and 11 secondary schools has also been approved in addition to 15 Ekalavya Model Residential Schools across the state.
He said the construction of Capt. Williamson Sangma Technical University at Tura, the first such institute in the state, is being undertaken by PWD and the overall progress of work is 90%.
The Shillong Government College of Engineering and College of Architecture and Urban Planning in Tura are progressing well with a physical progress of over 70%. Construction of Model Degree College at Patharkhmah has been completed, while for Rongjeng it is nearing completion. Up-gradation is being undertaken for three existing degree colleges at Nongtalang, Mendipathar and Mawkyrwat to Model Degree Colleges. Construction of new academic blocks and hostel facilities for government colleges at Sohra, Williamnagar and Baghmara has started and are likely to be completed this year, the Governor said.
Eco-tourism
The Governor said Meghalaya Eco Tourism Infrastructure Development Project, an externally aided project with a cost of Rs 750 crore has been initiated to create iconic infrastructure at some of the key tourist destinations like Sohra, Shillong and Tura and accommodation units in villages like Kongthong.
Stating that Kongthong village in East Khasi Hills was one of three villages nominated from India for the United Nations World Tourism Organization Best Tourism Village Award, which is a recognition of the rich culture and tourism potential of our state, he said that in order to showcase the unique culture, arts, crafts and handloom of the state, the Tourism Department launched the Meghalayan Age Store in New Delhi.
He said that The Meghalaya Locality Beautification and Enhancement Competition was launched to rejuvenate and beautify towns and localities of the state. Catalytic grants have been released to localities through the DCs to undertake painting works and repairing of publicly visible walls and surfaces and to undertake street arts, which have been done in a spirit of community partnership.
“Further with an aim to construct 500 homestays in the coming financial year, the Meghalaya Homestays Scheme in convergence with the Prime Minister Employment Generation Programme has also been launched,” the Governor added.
SICPAC by June-end
Malik said the Shillong International Centre for Performing Arts & Culture (SICPAC) will be completed by June this year. The project is being funded under NLCPR.
Ganol project
The Governor also expressed hope that the Ganol Hydro Electric project will be completed and commissioned by the end of this year to coincide with the golden jubilee celebrations of the state.
Smart city project
The Governor further informed that under Smart City, the work for reconstruction of Laitumkhrah market, construction of Polo commercial complex, rainwater harvesting, Umkhrah river cleaning and construction of tourism & cultural centre at Police Bazar are in progress.
Connectivity
On aerial connectivity, Malik said Shillong is now connected to eight cities — Kolkata, Guwahati, Dimapur, Dibrugarh, Lengpui, Agartala, Imphal and Silchar and more flights are likely to be introduced in the coming year connecting other regions.