Opposition Leader Dr Mukul Sangma has criticised the State government for delay in construction of the Pine Mount International School in Doldegre, Tura.
Dr Sangma visited the under construction site of the school on Thursday to evaluate the physical and financial progress of the project.
Sanctioned in the financial year 2017–18, the school aims to provide affordable and quality education to the region.
However, Dr Sangma said while the project’s physical progress stands at 98 per cent, over Rs 6 crore was cut from the original sanctioned amount of Rs 46.87 crore. This has resulted in removal of key facilities, including the basketball, tennis, and volleyball courts. Additionally, the planned brick boundary wall was replaced with barbed wire fencing.
During the visit, Dr. Sangma inspected the administrative, academic, hostel blocks and the multipurpose hall. He said the project, which should have been completed within three years, remains incomplete after eight years, due to the lackadaisical approach of the government.
The school was modeled after Shillong’s Pine Mount School, which provides quality education to underprivileged communities in the state capital. A similar initiative is underway in Jowai, with plans to establish such schools in every district of Meghalaya and additional locations as needed to meet the state’s demand for accessible, high-quality education.
Emphasising the project’s strategic importance, Dr. Sangma stated, “The Tura Pine Mount International School was envisioned to complement the nearby Tura Medical College, ensuring that faculty members and their families relocating to the region have access to quality education for their children, given the proximity of both institutions.”
He further noted that a farmers’ market and a Social Mobilisation Centre, sanctioned during his tenure as Chief Minister, were established near these institutions to create a sustainable economic ecosystem for residents of Doldegre and surrounding villages.
