Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said that the government’s annual expenditure will go up to Rs 15,500 crore this year from Rs 10,000 to ensure that growth and development of Meghalaya is on the fast track despite the Covid challenge.
“As the spending grows, it will act as a stimulus in the growth of the State and will ensure that the economy grows,” he said at a function to produce the MDA government’s report card, titled “Meghalaya on the move”, a booklet on works it has done for four years in power.
“We are not here to harp on, that we have done a lot… we have done whatever we could, but there is a lot more to be done… there are a lot of things that did not go the way we wanted …maybe those decisions were not correct … our decision may not have been correct … but our intent was always correct … we always kept the people of the State first,” he asserted.
The chief minister stated that his government has given the liberty to different departments to take decisions of their own, which has enabled it to ensure that all stakeholders were taken on board for the collective interest of the State.
Stating that finding the right people and allow them to work is the biggest challenge for him as a leader Sangma said, “It simply means that one has to allow the team to work. It also means that you have to allow them what they want to do and believe in them, that they would do the right thing and make independent decision which they feel is right and in the interest of the department, constituency and the people of the State.”
Rating team work in the MDA government “great” he said through collective teamwork the government was able to initiate pro-people welfare and development programmes.
Reminding the gathering on the poor implementation of PMGSY roads in the past, he said that the progress of the road construction was very dismal but in the last four years the State government has ensured speedy progress and today the State is ranked as one of the top performing States in the country.
He informed that during FY 2018-2022, a total of 1,851 km of rural roads were constructed with total spending of Rs. 1,300 cr and Meghalaya has been constructing 2 km road on average every single day during FY 2020-21.
He also spoke on the challenges the government had to face due to Covid pandemic, but that did not dither the effort of the government to ensure growth and development works continued. He informed the gathering that the State has earned accolades at several fronts.
“Our Government has provided rural employment to a greater number of people than ever before, we have financially empowered more women than ever before; we have ensured safe and uninterrupted water and electricity to households”, the chief minister said.
He also told the gathering that the government has ensured programmes for the welfare of the farmers, ensured improved and innovative health care and better educational infrastructure facilities, amongst others.
The State government has taken a pledge to make Meghalaya among the top 10 States in 10 years, in GSDP per capita and SDG ranking he said, adding, “We are building a brand Meghalaya on which every citizen can capitalise and benefit.”
At the programme, the chief minister along with ministers also launched various citizen welfare programmes.
In presence of various ministers and stakeholders, the Chief Minister launched Meghalaya’s first early childhood development and maternal health helpline ‘14410’, which aims to connect mothers with the nearest government healthcare facilities for timely support in areas that concern child nurturing and wellbeing of both mother and child.
The Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme which aims to accelerate reduction in maternal mortality in the State was also launched in presence of Health Minister James K Sangma. He also launched the ASHA Payment Gateway, an initiative to digitize the incentive payment process for the ASHAs.
During the programme Chief Minister along with Urban Minister Hamletson Dohling and other ministers also launched the Aspire – 2 and Skills Meghalaya Programme – an initiative of the government for the youth to equip them for the world of tomorrow.
