SHILLONG, JAN 21: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday expressed hope that Meghalaya and Assam will be able to come up with a concrete solution to the long pending boundary dispute in at least six areas of difference shared between the two states within the next few weeks.
Addressing the 50th Meghalaya Day celebration virtually, Sangma said, “I am hopeful that in the next few weeks and months we should be able to come to a concrete solution and a complete decision on the first 6 areas of difference.”
Stating that the issue has been pending for a long time, the chief minister said the two state governments have already submitted their respective reports on the inter-state border to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Sangma also thanked all the past governments, past chief ministers, past ministers, past government officials for working very hard to bring the border issue to this level.
“And it is in this government in the last 6 months we have tried to take that discussion to its logical conclusion,” he said.
He informed that in the last few months different regional committees were formed to visit the different locations, to each and every 36 villages in the first six areas of difference. The regional committees have accordingly submitted their reports to the respective state governments.
The chief minister also announced that over 300 projects will be inaugurated by the state government as part of the year long golden jubilee celebrations to mark the 50th year of statehood.
Sangma said in a few days from now, he will inaugurate the IT Park which will create over 1,500 jobs for the youth of the state.
“This will be only a beginning and I assure you we will expand the IT park in the future also to ensure that we are able to cover more areas and provide more job opportunities to our youth,” he assured.
Stating that many projects which were initiated could not see the light of day due to multiple reasons, Sangma however announced that the Crowborough hotel which is lying pending for almost three decades will now be completed during the 50th year of statehood.
“We have also initiated the work to our State Assembly and I am happy to inform you that within a few months we will be completing the State Assembly building also,” he added.
On the laying of the foundation stone for the new Administrative City, Sangma said, “This has been a long pending requirement for Shillong city for the sake of de-congestion of Shillong city and also to see that we are able to have a planned administrative city in the future this project has been initiated.”
“Over 800 acres of the land has already been procured and within a few months we will be starting some of the work in these areas and I am hopeful in the next decade we will be able to create a wide infrastructure so that we can shift to the new Administrative Secretariat soon,” he added.
Admitting that there are many other issues in front of the state, the chief minister said issues relating to environment and climate change, employment for the youth, doubling farmers’ income are going to be a very big challenge for the state.
“So hence, the next decade as well as the next 50 years is gonna be full of these challenges and let me assure you that foundations to meet those challenges had been laid in the past 50 years,” he said.
“We need to also realize that our strength is in our culture, our strength is in our community, our strength is in our youth, our strength lies in our natural resources and therefore as a government we must ensure that we rely on our strengths, works on our strength meet the challenges that we have and take our state forward in the next decade,” he further asserted.
Stating that his vision is to ensure Meghalaya should become one of the top ten states in the country in the next ten years, Sangma said, “Therefore, in order to meet that particular vision, in order to be able to fulfill that goal we must all work together, whether political parties, whether different individuals, different organizations no matter what differences there are, no matter what challenges we face it’s only by working together in the interest of our people and in the interest of the state will be able to achieve this goal and take our state and its people to new heights.”
The programme held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was attended Prestone Tynsong, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Speaker, Metbah Lyngdoh, Leader of Opposition, Dr Mukul M Sangma, Rajya Sabha MP, Dr WR Kharlukhi, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and MDCs, Meghalaya Chief Secretary, RV Suchiang and Senior State and Central Government officials among others.
During the programme, the dignitaries launched the Documentation on 50 years of Meghalaya and the State Emblem and released the Commemorative Stamp of the State.
A foundation stone for the New Administrative Township was also laid during the programme.
Other highlights of the celebration include airing of documentary on ‘Statehood Movement’ by the Directorate of Information & Public Relations, Meghalaya; presentation of docu-drama – ‘Meghalaya: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow’ by the Department of Arts & Culture, Meghalaya; announcement and distribution of the Meghalaya Day Awards to Shri Benedict Skhemlang Hynniewta (U Tirot Singh Award for Arts and Literature), Father Charles Ch Sangma (Pa Togan Sangma Award for Social Services) and Shri Halen Nongtdu (U Kiang Nangbah Award for Sports); Meghalaya Day Excellence Awards; sealing of the Memory Crate and performance by the Shillong Chamber Choir.
By Our Reporter
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