Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today point-by-point literally demolished the allegation of the opposition Congress that the National People’s Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance Government was a “total failure” and asserted that his government was proactive in ensuring development.
“The present Government during its three-and-half years term has done much more than the previous governments which were in power for nearly 47 years,” Sangma said in his reply to a short duration discussion on the “Failure of Government in the State”, moved by opposition member Zenith M Sangma.
“Meghalaya, which was pulled up by the Centre for ranking 28th in COVID-19 management, has now attained the third position in the country,” he said and asked, “Is this not success ?”.
Stating that Meghalaya at one point of time was at the brink of being blacklisted by the Centre for poor implementation of PMGSY Scheme, the Chief Minister said five years ago, the expenditure for implementation of the PMGSY Scheme was to the tune of Rs 600 crore, but now, the expenditure has risen to Rs 1,300 crore “because of effective implementation of the scheme” by the present Government.
Sangma also pointed out that before 2018, when his government came to power, the number of registered Self Help Groups was only 3,000 in the State and now there are 33,000 Self Help Groups and the expenditure in this regard has jumped up to the tune of Rs 200 crore, which he termed as “great achievement”.
He also said before his government took over the reins, the old age pensioners were having
“ hardship in getting their pension in time”, but now, the pensioners are getting their dues regularly and in time because the Government has put in the money in advance, which will be sufficient for three months.
Refuting the contention of the opposition that his government was not doing much for implementation of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, the Chief Minister pointed out that in the year 2013 the then Congress Government had firmly stated that there should be no ILP in the state, but it was his government that has passed a unanimous resolution in the assembly urging the Centre to implement the ILP regime in the State and was pursuing the matter with New Delhi.
He also said that due to the efforts of the state government to ensure the safety and security of the residents of the state, an Entry and Exit point was set up in Ri Bhoi District and in other districts too.
Sangma also welcomed the leader of opposition Mukul Sangma’s offer of constructive support to the state government.
