Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, today paid a visit to Ri-Bhoi and chaired a review meeting on the Aspirational District Programme (ADP).
Ri-Bhoi is one of the ‘aspirational districts’, which get extra funding and attention from the Centre.
The review meeting was also attended by the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Arpit Upadhyay, Superintendent of Police Giri Prasad, Commissioner and Secretary Syed Md Andaleeb Razi and other senior officials.
The Union Minister was briefed by the DC on the progress of works done for different key indicators, such as health and nutrition, education, agriculture, horticulture, veterinary, rural development, infrastructure, etc being implemented in Ri-Bhoi.
Shekhawat also attended a programme where ‘green cheques’ were distributed to communities under the Payment Ecosystem Services (PES). Forty-nine communities from different parts of the district received cheques under the Meghalaya Community Led Landscape Project to reward them for preserving green spaces.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister expressed his happiness to associate himself with the residents of the district through the interaction.
He also requested the people of Meghalaya to understand the importance and value of the environment and he lauded the villagers for their preservation of forest cover and surroundings.