The month of November seems to be a busy one for Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
Besides his other official engagements, the chief minister is busy with launching new Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Blocks across the length and breadth of the State.
While the State government claims that the inauguration of new blocks and sub-divisions is aimed at bringing the administration closer to the people, political observers however felt that it was more linked with the Assembly elections due in early 2023.
Today, Sangma inaugurated the Namdong C&RD Block in West Jaintia Hills. The new block with its headquarter in Namdong village is the fourth under West Jaintia Hills.
The distance of the new Block from Thadlaskein C&RD Block is 34 km. It will cover a population of 22,534 with 4007 households and 40 villages.
Meanwhile, Sangma will tomorrow inaugurate the Ri-Muliang C&RD Block in West Khasi Hills. The notification for creation of the Ri-Muliang C&RD Block has been issued today.
The chief minister will also inaugurate the Lumshnong C&RD block on November 26.
On November 15, Sangma had inaugurated the Adokgre C&RD Block in North Garo Hills. Adokgre Block has been carved out of Kharkutta C&RD Block, one of the oldest blocks in the State. The new block will cater to 43 villages in the area, which has a population of about 10,000 households.
Sangma also on November 11 had inaugurated the Rongjeng Civil Sub- Division in East Garo Hills.
On November 9, Sangma inaugurated the Rambrai C&RD Block. The new block will cover an area of 584.628 square km and a total of 109 villages with a population of 36148.
The speed with which the chief minister is launching new blocks and civil sub-divisions indicates that it has something to do with meeting the target before the model code of conduct comes in ahead of the 2023 Assembly election.