Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 293/19

SMART SHILLONG MOBILE APP LAUNCHED

As part of the Digital India Anniversary Day 2019, the Minister, Urban Affairs Department and Information Technology & Communications, Shri. Hamletson Dohling today officially launched the Smart Shillong Mobile App at Committee Room, Yojana Bhavan, Shillong. The programme was organized by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) in collaboration with Information Technology Department, Government of Meghalaya. Also present on the occasion were the Principal Secretary, Urban Affairs Department, Shri. D P Wahlang, Commissioner & Secretary, Urban Affairs, Shri. M R Synrem, Director, Information and Public Relations, Shri. B S Sohliya, Director, State Informatics Center, NIC, Shri. Timothy Dkhar and officials from IT Department. The Smart Shillong Mobile App can be downloaded from Play Store. Through this App, people can access various information, like tourism related activities, emergency phone numbers, important government contacts, current market price, Government Orders, Tenders, land value calculator, electoral rolls, weather, GST registration, lodging of grievances to government, swachh bharat abhiyan, NEHU and others.

While congratulating the NIC for taking this initiative to develop this Mobile App, Shri. Dohling said that with the advancement of technology, he said that government functionaries should get themselves updated and extra effort is needed to take the State forward in the field of information technology. He hoped that the Mobile App being launched today will not only empower the citizens but will also bring about transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government sectors. He expressed hoped that people can benefit from this initiative and he invited the public to give suggestions and opinions so that the purpose of developing this app is achieved.

Shri. D P Wahlang said that this mobile app is a One Stop Shop for the citizens as it will facilitate the citizens in getting information of different government and non government departments. He informed that this Mobile App will link to various portals of different departments where people can get information and launch their grievances.

Press Release No. 294/19

JAL SHAKTI ABHIYAN LAUNCHED

As part of the Pan India Campaign – “The Jal Shakti Abhiyan” was launched today by the Commissioner and Secretary, Community and Rural Department (C& RD), Meghalaya, Shillong, Shri P Sampath Kumar along with CEO, MSRLS, Shri Shantanu Sharma here at Tura. It may be mentioned that the campaign aims to target water stressed areas for stocktaking and conservation initiatives since India faces deficit monsoon season and widespread water shortages and also to increase the water table in water stressed areas. Therefore, in view of this, a Review Meeting of all Deputy Commissioners of eleven districts was also held today simultaneously through video conference from NIC, Tura. Deputy Commissioners, Project Directors, Block Development Officers and other officials of the respective districts took part in the meeting.

In the review meeting, Commissioner and Secretary, C&RD, Shri P Sampath Kumar emphasized on the strategy and action for taking up Water Conservation and National Rural Mission (NRM) related works during the monsoon season as part of Jal Shakti Abhiyan (JSA), a nationwide Water Campaign launched by Government of India from 1st July to 15th September 2019. Stating that the campaign is time bound and on a mission mode which will be implemented phase wise, he said that phase I commences from 1st July to 15th September while phase II from 1st October to 31st March 2020 which will be used for construction of big structure or multipurpose dam in any identified location especially in water stressed areas. The main objective of the Water Campaign is to ramp up rain water harvesting and conservation efforts so as to promote efficient use of water especially during the dry months, he added.

During the meeting, he also directed the Block Development Officers of respective blocks to identify water stressed areas/villages and to come up with model plan estimate and other interventions including rain water harvesting, construct check dams wherever possible, spring shed development, renovation of traditional water bodies, revive and reuse borewell structures, etc. Referring to the mass plantation during world environment day recently, he also suggested for intensive afforestation in water catchment areas of the districts. Mentioning about the grey water treatment in Punjab where the used water from the bathrooms were connected to a pond, which is then treated and can be used for washing of clothes, watering the garden, etc, he said that over here we do not know where the sewage water goes and stressed on the need to make soak- pits or other options to recharge ground water in the area.

Informing that every state, district and blocks have their own irrigation plans, therefore, he stressed on the need to integrate this with water conservation plan and also to involve as many people as possible including SHGs, VECs, NGOs, community, students, etc to cooperate and support in the campaign for water security in our respective districts. Meanwhile, with regard to the training of technical knowledge about water conservation he informed that technical classes will be provided every Saturday for technical assistants and all those involve in the campaign.