It is the norm for grassroots organisations to look to higher authorities to fund the creation of public assets and rare that stakeholders on the ground take it upon themselves to create these facilities on their own.
However, that is exactly what has happened on the outskirts of Shillong city, with residents of Laitkor, Nonglum-Mawrie building an office for the dorbar shnong with no recourse to outside funds.
The land for the structure was donated by D Kharkongor, a local resident, and the building came in at a cost of Rs 4.20 lakh, with construction beginning in March 2024.
The hall was inaugurated by Nongkrem legislator Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit today.
Speaking at the opening of the facility, Basaiawmoit said that this is a good example for others in the state. “This locality has shown us that if functioning (of the dorbar shnong) is smooth and with responsibility there will never be dearth of funds,” the Nongkrem MLA said.
He said that Laitkor, Nonglum-Mawrie is a witness that if a locality properly and with accountability uses its funds collected from the residents there will be no dearth of finances.
Basaiawmoit also said that this is a good example even for the state. His Voice of the People Party (VPP) has been vocal about its concerns that Meghalaya is being saddled by the government with more debt than it can manage. “If we know how to consciously use finances we will see it will benefit the state,” he added.
Basaiawmoit also expressed concern that roads in his constituency are in a dilapidated condition. He said that he has been taking up this issue with the competent authorities and hoped that the roads will be repaired.
He also expressed his happiness over the fact that in today’s world that residents like Kharkongor are willing to donate lands for donating lands to build public assets.
