The state government is receiving positive feedback on the proposal to introduce a goods train service in Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma claimed today.
Sangma said this on the sidelines of the release of a booklet to celebrate the completion of three years of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government.
The Chief Minister said that the issue of railways is a long pending one and requires consultation with stakeholders and confidence building.
Pressure groups in the state are almost universally opposed to the railways, arguing that their introduction will cause large scale immigration into the state.
“People should realise the long-term benefits of railways,” Sangma said, adding that regulation of outsiders entering the state can be managed through systems like those found at the Umling checkpoint in Ri-Bhoi and Mendipathar in North Garo Hills.
Meanwhile, Sangma said that 2021 is a crucial year as many government projects are up and running.
“This year we will scale up the work and momentum will be built up,” he said.
When asked about the accusation that there is a lack of accountability in the implementation of the rural employment guarantee scheme (MGNREGS), the CM said, “In general it is working well. How else would be getting a budget of Rs 1,600 crore for MGNREGS?”
Meghalaya is one of the top three states when it comes to the scheme’s implementation and he compared the situation here with Assam, which despite being bigger in population and size only has a MGNREGS budget of Rs 2000 crore.
