Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 121/10

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT TAJ GROUP OF HOTELS CALLS ON CHIEF MINISTER

Shillong, March 27, 2010: Shri Rajiv Gujral, Vice President Taj Hotel Resort and Palaces called on the Chief Minister, Dr. D.D. Lapang today. He informed about the recent setting up of a Five Star Hotel by the Taj Group at Guwahati with the assistance of the Govt of Assam and discussed with the Chief Minister on the prospects for setting up of similar establishments in and around Shillong.

After detailed discussions Chief Minister requested for submission of a formal proposal by the Taj Group indicating the areas where it would be interested in making investments. Mr Gujral expressed that Shillong is a very lucrative place for investment in various sectors and in view of the gradual increase in business activities in the city suitable infrastructure is a necessity. He agreed to submit proposals after consultation with his concerned authority on return and also requested for assistance of the Government in this regard.

Press Release No. 122/10

200 BEDDED ANNEXE BUILDING OF THE SHILLONG CIVIL HOSPITAL INAUGURATED

Shillong, March 27, 2010: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr D D Lapang today inaugurated the 200 bedded Annexe Building of Shillong Civil Hospital in the presence of the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma, Chief Secretary, Mr W M S Pariat, Commissioner & Secretary, Health Department, Mr D P Wahlang among others. The Annexe building was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.7.32 Crores.

The growth in terms of population and urbanization where the rural populace is migrating to the urban areas has put an immediate imperative on the Government to upgrade the health facilities in the urban centres particularly Shillong Civil Hospital. To augment in catering to the needs of the growing city, the Government through the National Rural Health Mission has been able to set up 18 urban Health centres in the whole State among which 12 of them are in Shillong.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Lapang said that the Government is making all efforts to ensure that the people of the State get easy access to health care facilities both in the rural and urban areas.

Dr Lapang is impressed with the modernity and excellence of the Shillong Civil Hospital which have been dedicatedly serving the people of greater Shillong with selflessness in providing health care service to all especially the poor and the impoverished. He urge upon the Health Department to ensure that adequate stock of quality of medicines are provided along with all the modern equipments to ensure an efficient health delivery system. “Hospitals must meet the needs of all segments of the society. They must respond to the felt needs of the community at the grassroots level”, he added.

Dr Lapang said that it is a matter of happiness that the Shillong Civil Hospital has been empanelled with the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY) which is the health insurance scheme for the poor and this will help them generate more funds to the Hospital Management Society in which the Hospital itself can be self sustaining.

Dr Lapang also said that Medical and Para medical personnel must be imbued with commitment to ensure the welfare of the community they serve. Health care is an essential part of the Government’s commitment to the people. The NRHM is one of the programmes of the Government to close the health gap among the people and it is being accorded top priority in order to succeed in building a genuinely free, fair and equitable society. Dr Lapang said that the State should equip itself to meet the challenges confronting the people in the form of diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and also diabetes, hypertention, cancer and HIV. He appeals to all to work together and devise imaginative ways and means to tackle the maladies.

Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma in his speech said that the department is making all efforts to improve the health delivery mechanism in the State by providing the hospitals in the State with adequate facilities. While stating that the State is having constraints in terms of man power, Dr Mukul said that there is a need for the State to explore the possibility of having at least 2 Medical colleges in the State which he felt would meet the man power requirement. He also informed that the Government has recently approved the setting up of 2 nursing schools one at Tura and another at Jowai. Dr Mukul also launched the official website of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Meghalaya http://meghealth.gov.in during the function.