SHILLONG, July 29: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma conveyed to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and other attendees during the annual conference of Commonwealth Parliamentarian Association (CPA) here on Saturday, Meghalaya’s role as a “land bridge” for India’s participation in institutional forums, even as he asserted that Northeast India is positioned to serve Centre’s strategic vision encompassed in the Act East Policy.
Addressing the inaugural function of the annual conference of CPA, Sangma said that Meghalaya has been focusing on improving trade activities in the border areas leveraging its link with Bangladesh.
Border infrastructure will be improved by establishing more Integrated Check Points (ICPs) along with Land Custom Station and Border Haats, the CM told the gathering.
A majority of Northeast India’s trade is with Bangladesh, while its trade with other neighbouring countries such as Bhutan and Myanmar mostly occurs through border points located outside of the region, he said. “Meghalaya acts as a land bridge for India’s participation in institutional forums, including the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation and the South Asia Sub regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program,” Conrad remarked.
As per the CM, 18 major road projects are being implemented to connect Meghalaya with other states currently.
Road connectivity along the Dawki-Bholaganj Road and Tura-Dalu Road is also being improved, he added.
The state government is also in the process of establishing a direct link with West Bengal through Mahendraganj hilly road, the chief minister revealed, while adding that this will reduce the distance of 600 km to just 85 km and foster trade and commerce.
“Today, with around 10,000 passengers every month, the Shillong airport is directly connected to Delhi, Kolkata, Aizawl, Agartala, Imphal, Dimapur, Dibrugarh and Guwahati. With the help of Government of India, we are now taking steps to upgrade the Shillong Airport to accommodate bigger flights,” he said.
Chief Minister said that they have additionally requested the Ministry of Civil Aviation to declare Shillong Airport as an International Airport to improve direct connectivity with countries bordering the Northeastern states, which will greatly boost the Act East Policy.
Sangma also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre for various strategies, policy interventions and infrastructure developmental initiatives for the Northeastern region.
He highlighted that huge investments are being made in key sectors like tourism, infrastructure, logistics and food processing
Talking about the geographical location of the Northeastern states, Conrad said that the region lies in a high seismic zone with mountainous terrain. The effects of climate change leave our region prone to natural disasters like floods, landslides, cyclones, droughts and earthquakes, he added.
“These calamities are always a setback to the pace of development – something that we need to encounter with a resolute determination and an effective response mechanism,” he said.
Talking about the need to document and study the impact of climate change, the CM suggested if predictive models can be prepared to understand how changing weather patterns can impact the eco-systems. “I have, in the recently concluded G20 Summit on Nature Solves, advocated the setting up of a centre for climate change in Meghalaya. The centre can be a regional hub of excellence gathering climate data and designing strategies for the entire North Eastern Region,” he said.
Sangma said that the Meghalaya government is coordinating with the North Eastern Space Applications Centre (NESAC), Department of Space, Government of India, for an early warning alert system for cyclone, landslide, flood and lightning.
“The state government has also decided to use drone technology in disaster management and its mitigation. Our approach towards minimising the effects climate change encompasses comprehensive risk assessments, early warning systems, public education, and strict infrastructure standards,” he said.
