Our govt is committed to bringing administration closer to the people, but there are significant geographical, financial hurdles to overcome

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, Jan 13: Notwithstanding the much-vaunted Cabinet Retreat’s attempt to bring administration closer to the public, the long-standing demand for upgrade of Sohra into a full-fledged district continues to linger without a clear timeline, as Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reiterates the need for deliberation and planning.
During the state cabinet meeting in Sohra recently, the chief minister addressed renewed questions about the proposal but admitted that challenges continue to stall the process.
“Our government is committed to bringing administration closer to the people, but there are significant geographical and financial hurdles to overcome,” Sangma said, while emphaisisng that there is the need for extensive discussions with stakeholders. “We are not outright rejecting or accepting the demand, but these matters require careful examination and deliberation.”
“Dadenggre is also demanding the district status, but we have a lot of things to think of,” the chief minister added.
The government had earlier sparked discussions before the 2023 Assembly elections about giving Sohra a district status.
In January 2023, during a visit to Sohra, Sangma interacted with members of the Sohra District Demand Forum (SDDF), sparking hopes that he would announce the creation of a new district. However, the meeting at Sohra Circuit House ended with only an assurance that Sohra would serve as the headquarters for a district to be carved out of East Khasi Hills.
It may be recalled that the state government held a two-day Cabinet Retreat from January 10-11 at Sohra, the first of its kind in the state’s history featuring Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, his cabinet colleagues and senior government officials.
The objective of hosting this event was to provide a platform to various government departments to highlight their programmes and initiatives, and identify gaps and foster collaborative efforts to achieve the desired goals and objectives.