Citizens group Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR) today claimed that an extensive culture of patronage has turned Meghalaya into a failed state.
“The reason that Meghalaya has turned into a failed state is because of the existence of an industry of patronage amongst representatives like the MLAs and MDCs and the political class, along with the bureaucrats and non-state actors,” TUR leader Angela Rangad said in a statement.
She said this after the recently released NITI Aayog district level report on social development goals for the North East states highlighted failures in terms of social development, with Meghalaya placed at the bottom of important indicators.
“This report points to a rot in our governance, and as we move towards 50 years of statehood, we as a people should not have stared into extreme hunger, malnutrition, unemployment, food insecurity, increasing poverty of our farmers, clean water and sanitation,” Rangad said. “It is a wakeup call for us as a society that Meghalaya, when it comes to the real bread and butter issues like development and quality of life of the people, where Meghalaya was once better comparatively, and now it is amongst the worst performing states in India. Whereas other states in India are enjoying the fruits of development, in Meghalaya we do not talk about these fundamental issues.”
East Khasi Hills was Meghalaya’s best performing district but was only 57th in the list and the worst districts were South West Khasi Hills (87th), South Garo Hills (92nd) and North Garo Hills (98th).
“If development was a talent contest, Meghalaya would have been disqualified in the first round itself,” the TUR leader quipped.
