Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 49/22

ONLINE REPORTING SYSTEM OF THE MEGHALAYA STATE FOOD COMMISSION COMMISSIONED ON 25.02.2022

The online reporting system of the Meghalaya State Food Commission was today commissioned by the Meghalaya Chief Secretary. Smti. R. V. Suchiang in a function held at the Main Secretariat Conference Hall, Shillong in the presence of the Chairman of the Meghalaya Food Commission, Shri. P. S. Thangkhiew , IAS (Retd) and senior officers of the Government.

The launch of the online reporting portal will facilitate quick submission of reports by the District Grievance Redressal Officers in issues relating to effective redressal of grievances in matters relating to distribution of entitled food grains or meals and to enforce the entitlements under the National Security Act 2013.

Speaking on the occasion, Smti. R V Suchiang stated that the launch of the online reporting system will go a long way in ensuring maximum governance with minimum government. Adding that the work of the Commission will be further streamlined as the online reporting system will reduce the time taken for receiving reports from the District Grievance Re-Dressal Officer (DGROS), she termed the launch as a step in the right direction.

Informing that the function of the Commission is to implement the provisions of the National Food Security Act 2013, she said that since the constitution of the Meghalaya State Food Commission in 2016 many complaints relating to mid day meal scheme, anomalies relating to weights and measure in fair price shops etc has been effectively taken up by the Commission.

Press Release No. 50/22

PHASE II OF ICMR STEMI ACT PROJECT LAUNCHED IN THE STATE

Health & Family Welfare Minister, Shri James P K Sangma, today inaugurated the Phase II of ICMR - STEMI ACT PROJECT, at the Banquet Hall, Pinewood Hotel, Shillong.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri James P K Sangma congratulated NEIGRIHMS for bringing this project to the state of Meghalaya and term it as a big boom to the care of heart attack patient in the state especially for lower income group because clot buster medicine will be provided free of cost during this project to all eligible patients. He added that it is a matter of pride that ICMR has chosen NEIGRIHMS as its Nodal centre for implementing this scheme in Meghalaya, he also informed that the project will work in HUB and spoke model, NEIGRIHMS being the HUB (Command Centre) and 8 hospitals in Shillong including Civil Hospital Shillong, Ganesh Das Government Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Reid Provincial Chest Hospital, Dr H Gordon Robert Hospital, Nazareth Hospital, Woodland Hospital, Supercare Hospital and Bethany Hospital will be the spoke centres.

He further added that heart attack is a major cause of morbidity and mortality all over the country and the state and with project like this which focus on timely intervention of such heart attack patients, it will bring about positive change in outcomes of heart care delivery in Meghalaya.

Dr. Nalin Mehta. Director of NEIGRIHMS, informed that the project focuses on timely intervention in cases of heart attacks and saving precious lives by initiating treatment of block arteries of the heart within the golden hour (first 90 minutes) by administering clot buster (Thrombolytics) medicine. He also added that this project is the biggest service to mankind under which the clot buster medicine which cannot be afforded by everyone because of its high cost (Rs 20,000 to 25,000) will be provided free of cost.

Dr, Amit Malviya, Principal Investigator of the Project, explained the basic working of the project, “Any patients who visit with complaints of Chest pain or symptoms suggested of heart attack to any of the spoke centres will be screen with ECG and the ECG will be uploaded along with necessary details in a dedicated mobile application which will be received by the command centre (NEIGRIHMS), the command centre will analyzed and confirm the eligibility for clot buster medicine and if patient is eligible then the medicine will be administered immediately at the spoke centres free of cost.” He also informed that the training session of the doctors and the paramedics has been completed at NEIGRIHMS and DHS.

Others who were present include Smti. M N Nampui, Commissioner and Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Smti. R M Kurbah, Secretary Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr. Aman War, DHS (MI), among others.

Press Release No. 51/22

CHIEF MINISTER REACHES OUT TO DIMAPARA AND DALU TO POPULARIZE FOCUS ON 25.02.2022

In an effort to reach out to rural areas of the State to popularize State Government’s flagship farmers welfare programme – FOCUS, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday addressed FOCUS Programme at Dalu in West Garo Hills and at Dimapara in South Garo Hills. At Dalu, Chief Minister distributed cheques worth Rs.42.10 Lakhs to 50 Producer Groups. This make total disbursed of Rs.1.62 Cr in Dalu Block. The intervention to provide financial assistance to different parts of the State through FOCUS programme is aimed to double farmers’ income. At Dalu, he also disbursed Rs.36 Lakhs to SHGs at the SHG Mela in the form of Community Investment Fund & Start Up Fund to women-led SHGs & Village Organisations of Dalu Block, West Garo Hills.

At Dimapara in South Garo Hills, he distributed cheques for financial assistance of Rs.82.10 Lakhs to Producer Groups in Gasuapara Block, benefitting 147 farmers’ collectives through the FOCUS program. Apprising the gathering of the FOCUS programme, the Chief Minister said that the flagship programme FOCUS is one of the biggest welfare programs in the Northeast where 4.50 lakh families amounting to 200 crores have been provided financial assistance post COVID. “The last two years of COVID have been very difficult for everyone, more so for the farmers, through the FOCUS programme we have been able to support a lot of people,” he said. Spelling out the features and implementation of the FOCUS programme he informed the gathering that the assistance is interest free and it is not a loan. He urged the gathering to form SHGs and producer groups to benefit from this scheme and various other missions, flagship programs and welfare schemes of the State government.The Chief Minister distributed cheques worth 82.10 lakhs to 147 producer groups comprising of 1642 members during the programme at Dimapara.

Taking his mission further to connect with the people at the grass rot level and to sensitize the masses about various welfare and livelihood schemes and programs of the State government, the Chief Minister inaugurated the SHG Mela at Dalu and interacted with producer groups and farmers at the FOCUS meeting at Upper Bamonpara, Dalu.

Speaking to the gathering at Dalu, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma said that the programme is a multi departmental programme to sensitize the people especially the farming community about the different schemes in various departments of the government. Talking about the plights of the farmers of the State he said, “The farmers of the State are so impoverished that they cannot afford money even for the basic and small farming activities like buying seeds or transporting the products to the market,” and added that they also faced issues relating to storage, packaging, lack of market linkage and training to add value to their products.

During his visit to Dalu, Chief Minister also inaugurated the Krimkro PRIME Hub, Slaughter Unit & Meat Processing Unit. Through the interventions of PRIME Entrepreneurship Meghalaya Programme, the State Government is supporting the aspirations of entrepreneurs by giving them the opportunity to expand their horizons. The Govt has collaborated with social organisation Bakdil to help entrepreneurs, particularly the youth to gain knowledge, skills & expertise to start & expand their ventures. “The government is aware of the challenges and is trying to address these issues through initiatives like FOCUS and Prime Hubs,” the Chief Minister said. He further added that through Prime Hubs the farmers, entrepreneurs, SHGs and the youth are imparted training, skill and knowledge in storing, packaging and marketing the products. “The government is contemplating on setting up at least fifty Prime Hubs across the State and these Prime Hubs also serve as Integrated Collection Centres for the farmers,” he informed. Talking on the SHG Mela, the Chief Minister informed that in the past four years 40,000 SHGs with a membership of four lakh members have been formed. “Initiatives like the Prime Hub and FOCUS programme run on SHGs therefore the community’s participation is needed to drive and make these programs of the government successful along with the concerted effort of the officials and the NGOs,” he added.

Later the Chief Minister also visited the Dalu PHC and interacted with the Expectant Mothers. In his brief address, the Chief Minister said that the government is renovating, refurbishing and upgrading various health centers through funds from the World Bank and through the State’s own budgetary allocation. “The Dalu PHC definitely needs renovation and I assure you that the renovation of the PHC with the need for Staff Quarters and possibly the extension of the PHC building will be taken up on a priority basis,” he said. He further apprised the gathering on the Rescue Mission which focuses on abating the MMR and IMR in the State. “The pregnant women especially the high risk expecting mothers are given special care, treatment and counseling by the doctors and ASHAs so that no precious lives are lost during the pregnancy and birth,” he said.

During his visit to Dalu, he also inspected the ongoing work of the Tura – Dalu road, which is funded by JICA with officials of NHIDCL.

Press Release No. 52/22

E-DAAKHIL PORTAL LAUNCHED ON 25.02.2022

E-DAAKHIL portal for facilitating consumer complaints was today launched by the Meghalaya Chief Secretary, Smti. R V Suchiang, making Meghalaya the 2nd state in the North East Region to have launched the e-filing service.

An initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs. Government of India, e-daakhil portal empowers the consumer and their advocates to file the consumer complaints along with payment of requisite fees online from anywhere for the redressal of their complaints. It also facilitates the consumer commissions to scrutinize the complaints online to accept, reject or forward the complaint to the concerned commission for further processing.

Speaking at the launch, Smti. R V Suchiang lauding the initiative stated that e-daakhil is an empowering tool for the citizens and an accountability tool for the Government. The portal has helped deliver services to the citizens in a timely, transparent, accessible and reliable manner, she said. One of the main components of good governance is effective grievances redressal mechanism, so the redressal of public grievance should receive the highest priority and e-daakhil will go a long in addressing consumer satisfaction, she added.

The programme was organized by the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Meghalaya and held at the Conference Hall of the Main Secretariat Building, Shillong.