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Shillong, October 30 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday organized a CM Connect program at Thangsing village of Mawkinrew block in East Khasi Hills district, interacting directly with villagers to understand their concerns and development needs.
The CM Connect initiative, a premier citizen-engagement platform of the state government, seeks to strengthen participatory governance by promoting direct interaction between the Chief Minister and residents at the grassroots level.
During the interaction, community representatives raised issues such as the need for higher secondary schools, a community college, better MNREGA implementation, additional Anganwadi centres, a veterinary centre, water supply expansion, better roads and bridges, reliable electricity and sports infrastructure.
Responding to these concerns, Sangma announced Rs 13.35 crore for the construction of the Dzongkha-Thinroit Bridge to improve connectivity, and approved an artificial turf adjacent to the Indoor Stadium in Mawkinre to promote sports and youth development.
He further said that 1,700 new mini Anganwadi centers will be set up in Meghalaya within two years to cover all the untouched villages. “Meanwhile, these centers will operate from community locations within three months,” he said. Another Rs 60 lakh has been sanctioned for repair and maintenance of 20 existing centers under the state scheme.
On education, the Chief Minister said the government spends more than ₹3,500 crore annually on the sector – ₹2,000 crore on salaries and ₹1,000 crore in grants to 4,500 private-aided schools, the highest in the North East. He said grants for adhoc and SSA schools would be restructured and school categories would be rationalized to improve efficiency and equity.
Addressing the issues of farmers, Sangma announced the expansion of CM Farms+ and CM Seeds schemes with increased funding to support diverse agricultural needs.
He said, “Your input and cooperation enables us to serve you better. Together, we will build stronger communities and ensure that every household benefits from our development efforts.”
–IANS
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