The Narpuh unit of the Khasi Students Union (KSU) met Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Minister Hamletson Dohling last week to request for a new C&RD block centred at Lumshnong.
Villages around Narpuh fall under Khliehriat C&RD block, the offices of which were recently moved to Wapung.
Narpuh, comprising 55 villages and a population of more than 45,000, has been neglected in the past and the move of the offices to Wapung will not help matters, the KSU opined.
Having a C&RD block at Lumshnong for the Narpuh area would cut journey times for those requiring government permissions, etc, down to half in some cases. The area already suffers from poorer than average literacy, a lack of basic necessities and government schemes and projects are often incomplete because of the distance the people have to travel to avail them.
The KSU also said that the Dorbar Shnong of Lumshnong is ready to give land to the government for the creation of C&RD block offices.
