Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 463/22

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES OBSERVED IN SHILLONG

The Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Government of Meghalaya in collaboration with the State Resource Centre on Disability Affairs, Shillong today observed the International Day of Persons with Disabilities at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong on the theme Transformative solution for inclusive development, the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world, where the Minister of Social Welfare Shri Kyrmen Shylla attended the programme as the chief guest.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Kyrmen Shylla said that the aim of observing this day every year is to increase the awareness and understanding of disability issues and the benefits to be derive from the integration of people with a disability in every aspect of life. Dwelling on this year’s theme, Shylla urged upon all to come together in finding an innovative solution to build a sensible and equitable world for all. Innovation and technology are the powerful tools for inclusion for they have enhance access to information, education and lifelong learning and it has also opened new avenues for persons with disabilities to participate in the workforce in the society, he added.

The minister emphasized that in view of uplifting, rehabilitating and empowering the persons with disabilities the government has undertake several initiatives and programmes in making the persons with disabilities accessible and inclusive in the society, like the implementation of the Accessible India Campaign. Recently, the state government has enhanced the Chief Ministers Pension scheme, the Unemployment Allowance and the government has also provided the grant in aid to special educators. He said that through the launch of the Meghalaya Signbank App, the state is moving towards an inclusive society and has also bridge the communication gap among the persons with disabilities.

During the programme, the chief guest felicitated people who have rendered their services towards the persons with disabilities and 12 beneficiaries were provided with assistive aids/device and 2 beneficiaries received their UDID cards.

Press Release No. 464/22

LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE FOR INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT COMPLEX AND INAUGURATION OF MCH HOSPITAL JOWAI

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma in presence of Minister, GAD, Urban Affairs, etc, Sniawbhalang Dhar and local MLA, Jowai, Wailadmiki Shylla laid the base for the construction of the Integrated Development Complex at Ladthadlaboh, Jowai, West Jaintia Hills, on Saturday.

During his address the Chief Minister said that the integrated development complex will bring Government services under one roof making the overall service delivery simpler, easier and more efficient. This is a new concept which we strongly feel is important for us to bring reforms in administration and to make the overall public service delivery a much simpler and easier process. He added that many of the Government offices were functioning from rented buildings even in major towns and headquarters and the Integrated Development Complex can provide the office space to all the different Government departments in the District. It will not only save space but more importantly it will allow for Government services to be given from one location. The concept of DC offices, block offices or different departmental offices had come up a long time back but times have changed. We strongly feel that these are the reforms that we require to move forward as a State, he added. The Chief Minister also informed that apart from speedy service delivery the Government with the help of technology is working to make the interface for availing Government services more accessible to the people. He further informed that the foundation stone for the Integrated Development Complex will be laid in Tura in the coming days and hoped that the infrastructure upgradation in different headquarters and subdivisions in the future will have a bearing on the overall improvement in delivery of services to the people.

The Integrated Development Complex at Jowai is being constructed at an estimated amount of Rs 19.8 cr. The proposed departments and offices to be accommodated in the complex are the Deputy Commissioners Office with its different axillaries branches like Election Branch, Supply Branch, Revenue Branch, Planning Branch, Basin Development, etc and Social Welfare, District Child Protection Office, Sports Department, Treasury Branch, Excise Department, IPR Office, Tourism, Border Area, Mining Department etc and other Government Offices which are still operating from rented spaces

The Chief Minister along with the other dignitaries also unveiled the inauguration plaque of the 100 bedded Maternal and Child Health Hospital located at Panaliar, Jowai, at the same function today.

During his speech the Chief Minister said that one of the top priorities of the Government is to provide better medical healthcare facilities to the people. He said that in the last two years the Covid pandemic brought out much of the shortcomings in the State’s healthcare sector. He added that the Government has made a concerted effort to upscale infrastructure and strengthen healthcare facilities in the State. During the pandemic we saw unprecedented challenges that came in front of us especially in terms of our healthcare infrastructure. It was during those times that many shortcomings, many areas where we need to invest, and the overall infrastructure in the health sector came to light. Those challenges also presented an opportunity for us to improve the overall health sector as much as we could, he said. Informing the people about the different initiatives under the health sector the Chief Minister said that the Government has renovated and added additional capacity at 80 health facilities over the last one year and close to 1,000 beds have been added to the infrastructure capacity of the State.

Furthermore, he said that almost 200 health facilities have been enabled with solar power and energy efficient equipment and added that the Government will be spending more than Rs 250 Cr, to further the medical infrastructure in the state. As such Rs 150 Crores have been earmarked for construction of 300 Sub Centres in the state, Rs 12.5 Crores have been earmarked for setting up of 10 Integrated Public Health Laboratories and 2 Critical Care Blocks will be set up in the state at a total cost of Rs 47.5 Cr which will add 100 more beds with modern facilities and advance surgery capabilities, the Chief Minister informed.

The Chief Minister also added Meghalaya is probably the fourth highest spender in the country in terms of the percentage of GDP that is spent on the health sector. During his speech the Chief Minister also informed the gathering that the State has come up with a recruitment board to address the challenges of overall recruitment of trained personnel especially doctors and specialists. We have overall challenges in terms of recruitment especially in the health sector and that is why to overcome those challenges we have also come out with a separate recruitment board for doctors and specialists. And within the next few months, we expect that through this medical recruitment board, all the positions for doctors and specialists will be filled up at the earliest. Health has been an area, which is of great importance to our state and the government of Meghalaya has responded appropriately in order to meet those challenges, he said.

Press Release No. 465/22

CHIEF MINISTER INAUGURATES LUMSHNONG C AND RD BLOCK IN EAST JAINTIA HILLS DISTRICT

Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri. Conrad. K. Sangma today inaugurated the new Lumshnong C and RD Block in East Jaintia Hills District in the presence of the Minister of Commerce and Industries Department etc, Shri. Sniawbhalang Dhar and Local MLA, Shri. Shitlang Pale. Also present during the inaugural function were the Local MDC and Chairman Joint Action Committee, Shri. E. Lamare, Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District, Khliehriat, Shri. Abhilash. Baranwal, IAS, Superintendent of Police, Shri. Jagpal Singh Dhanoa, IPS, District Heads, and Community Representatives among others.

Speaking at the inaugural function, the Chief Minister, Shri. Conrad. K. Sangma thanked the Chairman and Members of the Joint Action Committee for their tireless efforts and hard work to ensure that the Lumshnong C and RD Block is inaugurated. He also stated that due to the absence of Administrative units and other departmental offices, this area has been neglected from the development point of view and people have to travel for hours to go to the block office to get simple developmental schemes and basic services and with the presence of the Lumshnong C and RD Block, it will bring Administration closer to the people of this area. We do not want the people to travel far distances, but rather we would want our team and officers and the Government services to come closer to the people, he said while also stating that as a government, as politicians and officers we have to remember that our responsibility is to serve the people.

The Chief Minister informed the gathering that the government in the last four years has been working tirelessly to ensure that there is all round development in the state, to ensure that the administration gets closer to the people, and to ensure that the voice of the people is heard and to serve the people. He also stated that in spite of the Covid 19 pandemic, that expenditure has gone up by more than 40 percent compared to what it was in the last term, and in the last four years, more roads were constructed in the state and almost close to 3 lakh houses today are connected with water supply. He further informed that this government has also ensured that vaccination would get priority and from the rank of 27 in the country, the state is today ranked 2 nd when it comes to Vaccination.

Speaking on e Governance, he said that after competing with countries like China, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, we were able to come out as one of the best projects for e Governance in the entire globe which was recognized by the United Nations.

Speaking on the Sonapur Borghat road which is one of the most important connectivity for the people of the area, the Chief Minister said that the Government has sanctioned over Rs. 120 Crores for the construction of the 29.5 kilometers, and the foundation stone has also been laid. As a Government, our commitment is to ensure every nook and corner of our state moves forward together, we will work so that no areas are left behind and we will work together for a purpose to take our state forward, he added.

During the programme, the Chief Minister, Shri. Conrad. K. Sangma along with the Minister of Commerce and Industries Department etc, Shri. Sniawbhalang Dhar distributed Cheques under Grassroot level Response towards Ecosystem Enhancement and Nurturing Scheme, Payment For Ecosystem to 3 beneficiaries Shri. Standing Lamare, Dorbar Shnong Sonapyrdi, and Presbyterian Church, Sonapur. Cheques were also handed over to the 5 Village Organisations of Lumshnong C and RD Block under NRLM CIF at a total amount of Rs. 14 Lakhs. Seeds were also distributed to 15 Integrated Village Cooperative Societies under East Jaintia Hills District, the package comprised of Open pollinated vegetable Seeds, Bio fertilizers and Bio Pesticides, and Soil testing Kits worth Rs. 1 Lakh each.

Later, the Chief Minister, Shri. Conrad. K. Sangma inaugurated and inspected the new Block Development Office at Lumshnong Village. He was accompanied by the Minister of Commerce and Industries Department etc, Shri. Sniawbhalang Dhar, Local MLA, Shri. Shitlang Pale, the Deputy Commissioner, East Jaintia Hills District, Khliehriat, Shri. A. Baranwal, IAS, and other officials of the District