Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 40/10

PRESS RELEASE

Dr. D. D. Lapang, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya participated in the 58th Meeting of the NEC on 9th February 2010 at Guwahati.

Dr. D. D. Lapang commended the work done by NERCORMP, the IFAD funded project. He noted that through this project, rural communities have been empowered and a strong sense of ownership of their natural resources have been inculcated in them besides teaching them the basic values of saving and discipline. He desired that the extended Project should have the same professional approach. He strongly urged the NEC and Ministry of DoNER to provide active support to the project for extending Railway lines to Meghalaya. He noted that earlier an amount of Rs. 540 Crore had been earmarked for this purpose. He expressed the urgent need to put Meghalaya on the Railway map as total dependence on road transport is having an adverse effect on the prices, especially of essential commodities. He requested the Government of Assam to quickly complete the land acquisition within Assam for the Azara-Byrnihat Railway line. He also requested the NEC to impress upon the Ministry of Railways to sanction the extension of this railway line upto Shillong via Nongpoh and Umsning.

He expressed the need to go back to the 100 p.c. funding of NEC schemes as all North Eastern States have resource constraints making it difficult for them to meet the State share of 10 p.c. for NEC Schemes.

Dr. Lapang also requested the NEC Chairman and Union Minister of DoNER to use his good offices to expedite the early implementation of the Shillong Bye Pass and Four-Laning of NH-40 from Jorabad to Umiam to ease the heavy traffic congestion in Shillong City and on the G.S. Road.

Expressing concern over the Poverty estimates of the Planning Commission which shows the North East in general and Meghalaya in particular as having less BPL families than the rest of the Country, Dr. Lapang demanded that the draft document on poverty eradication in North Eastern Region be finalized and published by National Institute of Rural Development immediately.

Dr. Lapang lamented the fact that the State’s proposal for setting up a University of Music in Shillong, was not accepted by Government of India on the ground that Shillong has neither air nor railway link. He pointed out that such argument will only perpetuate a never-ending cycle of under development. He strongly pleaded that both airlink and rail link should be established between Shillong and the rest of the Country. Reminding the meeting that the 57th NEC Meeting had accepted in principle Meghalaya’s proposal to set up the Regional Institute of Environment Studies (RIES) at Shillong. He urged NEC and the Union Minister of DoNER to support the proposal and take it up with the Ministry of Environment and Forests. Dr. Lapang also reiterated the need to provide 1 p.c. of NEC funds for the promotion of Arts and culture in the North Eastern Region. He also stressed the need to have an Institute of Vocational Education to help the youth in self employment.

Dr. Lapang lamented the fact that adequate funds had not been provided to the NEC. Even after three years of the 11th Plan the NEC had given only 25 p.c. of the 11th Plan outlay. He urged the Government of India to ensure adequate funding of this important regional body.