Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today said that the State government has identified problems, which had posed hindrance to the growth and development of the State.
“We have identified the issues and have found a way forward to resolve the problems that are affecting the growth and development of different sectors in the State,” Sangma said at the meeting of the 16th Finance Commission at Marriot Hotel here.
Stating that the present government inherited challenges from the past, Sangma said, “In many sectors, we were not doing well, particularly in health and education. We took up the challenge, identified the concerns and are now resolving the problems in a systematic manner”.
Citing the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) which was double than the national average in 2018, the chief minister said, “We introduced a holistic programme (MOTHER) through which we identified high risk pregnant women, and the challenges for high mortality and introduced a programme for care and safe institutional deliveries”.
“Maternal mortality is linked to social issues, infrastructure and other services, including spacing of birth between two children,” he added, while talking of interventions which were initiated through the Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Programme.
Sangma also informed that the State government has been able to tackle the challenges and introduced corrective measures, which has led to decline in the MMR and Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) in the State.
On laying the foundation for the growth and development, the chief minister said that through the previous 15th Finance Commission, Meghalaya was awarded Rs 3000 crore and through Externally Aided Projects (EAPs), the State managed to get funding of around Rs 9000 crore to initiate development and infrastructure projects.
“Through partnership that were forged with international banks, institutions, universities like Berkeley, the State has been able to include intellectual and technology partners for a shared objective to further the development and growth aspirations of the State,” he emphasised.
During the day-long meeting, members of the 16th Finance Commission had separate meetings with representatives of trade and industry, rural local bodies, urban local bodies and political parties.
