Move aimed at bridging gap between govt and people
From Our Correspondent
TURA, Aug 30: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday revealed the state government’s plans to establish CM Connect Centres in all 56 blocks of Meghalaya, so as to ensure residents across the state have direct access to platforms for voicing grievances and engaging with governance.
The announcement came during the inauguration of the CM Connect Centre–Tura at P.A. Sangma Stadium, West Garo Hills.
After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the chief minister personally received the first complaint from a resident.
In his address, the chief minister said that the CM Connect programme is not just a scheme, but a vision to bridge the communication gap between the government and the people. He said the initiative is about cultivating a mindset among political leaders, officials and bureaucrats to always remain connected with citizens and to ensure governance that is responsive, transparent and accountable.
He explained that CM Connect uses multiple mechanisms to facilitate public engagement, including call centres, WhatsApp groups, chatboxes and a dedicated website where people can register their concerns and seek solutions.
He said that beyond technology, personal interaction remains central to the programme, as he often uses regular government programmes as opportunities to directly engage with people, listen to their voices, and give them the platform to share their problems openly.
“Every programme can become a CM Connect programme when we give the microphone to the people,” the chief minister said, underscoring the importance of two-way communication.
The event was also attended by Assembly Speaker Thomas A. Sangma, who lauded the initiative as a bold step towards making governance people-centric.
