Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 186/07

VISION STATEMENT FOR NONGPOH TOWN DEVELOPMENT

Nongpoh, the district headquarter of Ri Bhoi is visualized as a place with all physical and social amenities like adequate drinking water supply, drainage network, good integrated road network with well coordinated transportation infrastructure, supporting a vibrant healthy life for the citizens. The town is seen as the growth centre for the entire region with thriving sustained economy based on wholesale trading activities, eco-friendly and forest based manufacturing and tourism activities.

This is the vision statement for Nongpoh under Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for small and medium towns and integrated Housing and Slum Development programmes sponsored by the Ministry of Urban Development, Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and the State Government.

In this regard, the Meghalaya Urban Affairs Department has today organized a presentation to the stakeholders on the vision statement which was made by the representatives of the consultant agency, BCEOM, a French based company on the City Development Plan (CDP) for Nongpoh town which includes different aspects of development and improvement of Nongpoh area. The project is estimated at Rs.115 crores.

The function was held at the Resource Centre of the DRDA, Nongpoh and was attended by the Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr D D Lapang who is also the local MLA of the area, local MDC, Mr C B Syiem, Secretary Urban Affairs, Mr W L Lyngdoh and Deputy Commissioner, Ri Bhoi District, Mr S F Khongwir. The presentation function was presided over by Urban Affairs Minister, Mr Paul Lyngdoh.

The stakeholders who attended the presentation include the public representatives, heads of traditional institutions, the line departments, the NGOs and the citizens of Nongpoh area.

The Meghalaya Chief Minister and local MLA of Nongpoh in his brief speech after the presentation expresses his gratitude to the Urban Affairs department for presenting the vision statement for Nongpoh town and he hope that through this project, Nongpoh will become a well planned town in all respects. He informed that the construction of the Shopping Complex at Nongpoh which was estimated at Rs 3.20 crores will start very soon. He lauded the efforts of the Nongpoh Town committee who had worked hard in pursuing the matter. He said that for the project to become a reality, the people should extend their full cooperation to the Government and he urges the people not the have the anti development attitude. Dr Lapang also informed that as a positive step towards achieving the goals of the vision statement, the Government has decided to set up a branch office of the Meghalaya Urban Development Agency (MUDA) at Nongpoh.