Patharkhmah will be upgraded in status to civil sub-division on November 24, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said today.
Sangma said this while in Byrnihat to lay the foundation stone of the upgrade of Byrnihat Primary Health Centre to Community Health Centre.
The demand for a civil sub-division for Patharkhmah is an old one but today’s announcement brings the dream one step closer for the people of Jirang constituency.
In August, Sangma had said that the upgrade of Patharkhmah was one of his government’s top priorities. There are nine requests for civil sub-divisions but he said that Patharkhmah was at the top of his to-do list as it is far from the district headquarters of Nongpoh, which leads to great trouble for residents who need official work done.
Meanwhile, the people of Byrnihat have been waiting for their PHC to be upgraded to a CHC for decades.
The foundation stone was revealed by Sangma in the presence of local MLA Sosthenes Sohtun, MDC Victor Rani and officials.
Byrnihat PHC only has 10 beds for in-patients even as the town, close to the Assam border, has swelled in population over the years. As a CHC, it will have 30 beds and other facilities and infrastructure.
Sangma declared that Ri-Bhoi will lead the way in implementation of healthcare services through the digitisation of patients’ medical records. This pilot project will change the way healthcare is delivered, he added.
Byrnihat PHC commenced functioning in 1989. An estimated Rs 11 crore will be spent on the upgrades of the PHC, which caters to 113 villages.
