Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 346/22

THREE DAYS TRAINING PROGRAM ON ADVANCED METERING INFRASTRUCTURE STARTED

Three Days Training program on Introduction to Advanced Metering Infrastructure and Role of AMI in Reducing AT and C Losses under Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme was held at Circuit House Tura where Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Tura Swapnil Tembe attended the inaugural function on 24th August, 2022. The program was organised by National Power Training Institute, Faridabad in collaboration with Ministry of Power, Government of India for Engineers of Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Limited, Garo Hills Region.

In his brief inaugural speech West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Swapnil Tembe highlighted the major grievances in the past is the requirement of power and that nowadays uninterrupted power supply is necessary for almost everything from working in office, in business establishment including farming since some people practiced machine based farming these days. Stating that the problems faced may not be same as compared to other states, therefore, he advised the organisers to understand the challenges faced in the region and then training can be based on the issues and resolve as per the necessity in the area.

Informing that the West Garo Hills district has resolved with line departments to make the district self sufficient in several sectors by 2027 in which power is also required, he requested the officials to have fruitful session and discussions and implement the same in their respective work places successfully. The Deputy Commissioner also suggested that as per the scheme provided by the government for Solar Rooftop can be implemented in order to increase solar potential in the region.

In the Technical Session that followed, Ajanta Goswami, CGM Rtd APDCL, Guest Faculty NPTI NER explained in detailed about Overview of RDSS and Smart Meters and its product chain from consumer to utility, Introduction of Advanced Metering Infrastructure, etc Smart Metering Challenges and New Infrastructure Requirement while Karuna Sharma, DGM Rtd ASEB, Guest Faculty, NPTI NER spoke about Challenges in Smart Meter Implementation, Operation and Maintenance, etc and AMI and Smart Meter Integration, Smart meter Data exchange protocol, AMI Communication network components and technology selection, etc.

Sambit Gantayat, Deputy Director, NPTI will deliver on Components of Advanced Metering infrastructure, Integrated arrangement of Advanced Metering Infrastructure and AMI Network system for Neighbour Area Network, Role of AMI in reducing AT and C losses, Consumer engagement and policy, regulation and standards of Smart Meters, etc on second and third day along with other faculty members on related subject.

Earlier in the inaugural function, the Deputy Director, Sambit Gantayat stated that power sector is important sector and therefore apart from various technological challenges strengthening the distribution system and training is being conducted for the successful implementation of Smart Metering in the region. Chief Engineer, MePDCL, Garo Hills Region, F Kharshing, Officials of MePDCL from Garo Hills region attended the training program.

Press Release No. 347/22

HEALTH MINISTER JAMES SANGMA INAUGURATES OFFICE OF MHSSP IN SHILLONG

Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri James. P. K Sangma today inaugurated the office of the Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project at DHS complex, Laitumkhrah, Shillong. He stated that this project can prove to be a major game changer in bringing about improvements in not only the overall health indicators of the people of Meghalaya, but more so, in improving the sustainable development goal indicators of the State. The Health minister graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.

Addressing the gathering, the Health Minister stated that the MHSSP is following a very organic approach towards improving the health indicators of people in the State. He added that a major problem that the government departments face at this hour is the fact that they are working in silos. Through the MHSSP, a convergence approach is being adopted in order to address the critical gaps through effective gap analysis in the sector. He further went on to congratulate the entire MHSSP team and said that the possibility of scaling up projects such as MHSSP can be seen to also strengthen the other departments of the State Government.

It may be mentioned that the Meghalaya Health Systems Strengthening Project was signed on 28th October 2021 between the Government of Meghalaya and World Bank International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and was declared effective from 26th Nov 2021 for a period of Five years. MHSSP aims to strengthen the overall public health system and improve access to quality health care for the people of Meghalaya. Its vision is to improve primary and secondary health output parameters of the state by creating an organic integration between data, health infrastructure, capacity building and community strength. The project development objective is to improve management capacity, quality and utilization of health services in Meghalaya.

The Health Minister also took stock of the progress and updates on MHSSP in a meeting with important state level officers and doctors including Shri Ramkumar S IAS, Project Director MHSSP, Dr. Joram Beda, IAS Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr Twinkle Marak, MCS, Under Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Dr H.C Lyndem, Director of Health Services DHS MI, Dr. L Challam, Director Health Services, Maternal & Child Health and Family Welfare DHS MCHandFW) and Additional Project Director MHSSP, Dr S.S Nongbri, Director of Health Services Research DHS R and Shri F Basan, Additional Project Director MHSSP in the presence of other senior officers of the health department and Project Management Unit MHSSP. The Health Minister, in his meeting with senior officials from the Department of Health & Family Welfare as well as the Directorate of Health Services gave important suggestions and recommendations with respect to not only MHSSP, but also for the improvement of major health indicators in the State through a collaborative, inter departmental approach as well as through involvement of various stakeholders.

A status update on the progress made by the MHSSP was presented to the Health Minister by Project Director MHSSP, Shri. Ramkumar S, IAS wherein the activities, components, achievements as well as the roadmap of MHSSP were highlighted. It was informed that the MHSSP already has a live website which includes all details about the project in an open access public domain. The same can be accessed at https://meghssp.org/ . The project has a live dashboard too, which gives an overview of priority health indicators in the State. It may be mentioned that MHSSP has also initiated a completely paperless administrative system for its official proceedings. The Project is exclusively using an online Digital Document Filing System for the purpose, thereby gradually doing away with the use of papers for official use. The project will also initiate construction of a drone hub in Jengjal, West Garo Hills District, among other places, to fill the gaps in the existing public health logistics system and provide efficient service to various hard to reach health facilities. It was also stated that a system of electronic health records will be initiated soon as part of the project implementation.

Press Release No. 348/22

VISIT OF MINISTER OF STATE IN RIBHOI DISTRICT

The Minister of State incharge of Railways, Coal and Mines, Government of India Shri Raosaheb Patil Danve visited Ri Bhoi District today the 24th August and chaired the review meeting on Aspirational District Programme at Conference Hall DC Office, Nongpoh in the midst presence of Deputy Commissioner Ri Bhoi District Shri Arpit Upadhyay IAS, Shri Giri Prasad IPS, Superintendent of Police and officials from different line departments to review on developmental works undertaking for Ri Bhoi Aspirational District on various key indicators and also inspections of some of developmental activities in villages.

In the review meeting, presentations have been brief over by the Deputy Commissioner on the progress of works done for different key indicators such as health and nutrition, education, agriculture, Horticulture, Veterinary, Rural Development, infrastructure etc being carried out under Aspirational District Programme.

Later, the Minister proceeded for inspection at the ground level to Health Wellness Centre of Umsawnongkharai village, Anganwadi Centre of Umdihar village and ended his visit with the interaction programme with the local residents held at Community Hall Saiden village. While speaking to the residents of Saiden village, the Minister, informed that in the earlier, India has ranked the lowest position in the world, because it could not uplift the standard of living of its citizens, hence, in order to remove this heterogeneity, the Central Government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on January 2018 launched the Transformation of Aspirational Districts with an aim to transform those districts which have shown lesser progress in achieving key social outcome and about 117 under-developed districts including Ri Bhoi District have been identified by NITI Aayog from across the country to be include under this program. He also lauded the initiatives taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to promote and uplift the socio-economic lives of citizens by providing a ration at a low cost to the people, free vaccination and other benefited schemes for the betterment of the people of the country.

Moreover, The Minister also informed that according to his observation at the ground level to some of the developmental activities in the district, he found that Ri Bhoi District has done its remarkable work in various developmental works and has successfully implemented the various funds granted to them, and with this, hoped that Ri Bhoi district would positively achieve the good rankings in the months and years to come. Meanwhile, informed that Ri Bhoi District in the earlier has ranked the 107 position but through this Aspirational District Programme has able to transformed the standard of living of people and has lifted up this district attaining the 50 rank position from amongst the under-developed districts in the country. hence, he expressed his satisfaction over the progress achieved so far and urged to continue rendering their services for more developmental works and also encouraged them to target achieving the top ranking in the next to come.