By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 18: Citing a remarkable drop of more than 50 per cent in Meghalaya’s maternal mortality rate over the past seven years, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday credited the feat to focused initiatives like the Safe Motherhood Program, popularly known as the Mother Program, which monitors every pregnant mother in the state and provides institutional support.
Nearly 400 Safe Motherhood Homes have been established across the state to accommodate high-risk mothers along with their attendants, each of whom receives ₹500 per day as an incentive.
He revealed this while addressing the Silver Jubilee Celebration of Women for Integrated and Sustainable Empowerment (WISE) at St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School, Laitumkhrah.
“When I first became Chief Minister, Meghalaya’s maternal mortality rate was among the most disturbing numbers I came across. It shook me deeply that while a mother was bringing life into this world, she was losing her own,” he recalled. Institutional deliveries, he added, have since risen from less than 50 per cent to around 70 per cent.
Expressing satisfaction at the progress made, he said the government’s goal went beyond achieving the national average. “For me, the target is not a comparison — I want to reach a point where not a single mother in Meghalaya loses her life while bringing life into this world,” he declared.
The chief minister also underlined that the issue was not confined to healthcare alone but linked to the broader social and economic realities of women. Many young mothers, he said, had given birth to multiple children within short gaps, impacting their health. “Economic and social empowerment of women is absolutely necessary if we truly want to improve maternal health and family well-being,” he said.
He elaborated on the government’s flagship MOTHER Program — Meghalaya Outcome Transformation in Health, Education, Rural Development, and Social Welfare — designed to bridge departmental silos and improve women’s and children’s welfare. According to him, the number of self-help groups (SHGs) in the state had expanded from around 5,000 in 2018 to nearly 55,000 today, with the revolving fund growing from ₹40 crore to ₹1,100 crore.
“Grassroots transformation happens when women lead,” he noted, mentioning that women now hold 50 per cent of positions in all Village Employment Councils, with over 3,000 VECs headed by women.
The chief minister said that through programmes like CM-ELEVATE and PRIME, 60 per cent of beneficiaries were women, supported by over ₹150 crore in funding, training, and equipment. He cited women-led growth stories, including Lakadong turmeric production, which has risen from 1,000 metric tons in 2017–18 to nearly 20,000 metric tons, and the introduction of Japanese technology for shiitake mushroom cultivation.
Sangma assured continued collaboration with WISE and urged the organization to propose specific livelihood sectors for partnership. “We can work together to scale it into a model project, just like the latex manufacturing centre in Garo Hills or the ice cream factory in North Garo Hills,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of early childhood and youth development, he said, “We cannot wait for a child to turn 14 or 15 before we start worrying about their future. We must invest in them from the day they are born.” He pointed to initiatives such as the Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme funded by the Asian Development Bank and the EMPOWER programme for adolescents, focusing on music, sports, self-defence, and emotional well-being.
“What inspires me most is your determination — that you kept going even when there was no one to help or support you. That strength is what Meghalaya needs,” he said in conclusion, calling for the next 25 years to be “even more impactful — empowering more women, saving more mothers, and uplifting more communities.”
Member of Parliament Dr Ricky Andrew J Syngkon, attending as Special Invitee, praised WISE as an organization he often cites in his lectures at NEHU for its integrated model of “care, advocacy, capacity, and education.” He said WISE had become “a beacon of hope, bringing life and dignity into the lives of many facing tremendous challenges.”
He lauded its efforts in supporting single mothers, victims of domestic violence, school dropouts, and women in distress, as well as its outreach in prisons and rural communities.
“Every woman carries within her the strength of generations, and when a woman stands tall, she carries not just herself but the good of society,” he said.
Earlier, Dr MPR Lyngdoh presented the journey of WISE, tracing its evolution since its founding in June 2000 under Sr. Judith Shadap, RNDM. Sr. Baiahlunlang Nongkhlaw, Provincial of RNDM India North East Province, delivered the Words of Welcome, describing WISE’s 25-year journey as “a testimony of faith and compassion in service.”
The celebration featured prayers, cultural performances, and the release of a documentary chronicling WISE’s 25-year journey. The event concluded with the felicitation of Governing Board Members, staff, and volunteers, followed by a Vote of Thanks by Sr. Atisha Mary Khongjee and the National Anthem sung by the St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School Choir.
