SHILLONG, MAY 18: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has said that the government has been working by keeping the people at the core of its development agenda.
Speaking at an event in Damas, the Chief Minister referred to a new trend on social media of spreading fake news and misleading people by trying to take credit for developmental works done by the NPP-led government. He stated that the same section of politically motivated people then spreads misinformation to criticise the government for issues that remained unresolved for years and were finally resolved by the NPP-led government.
“We as a government have kept the people’s interest at the core of our development and have been working in the best interest of our people. We are putting the rights of our indigenous people at the forefront,” he added.
Talking about different situations that had put pressure on the government, he said that the NPP-led government has always maintained restraint and has not abused its power against the people. “We have maintained restraint in all situations. Because for us, the people remain central to our agenda for development.”
He said that the government believes in talks and discussions, and not using power to silence voices. “We want to bring resolution to problems. We believe in listening and talking to our people.
“We love the community and never want to see any bloodshed; we are always there to lead society with love and compassion.”
During the recent issues related to the GHADC, he informed that the government responded to the NGOs, pressure groups, and the people at large. “We respect the sentiments of our people and we chose to decide what the people wanted by making an ST certificate mandatory for contesting GHADC elections”.
“There were protests on the issue in the past. This is an old demand; no previous government decided to resolve the issue, but the NPP-led Government and the NPP-led GHADC Executive Committee decided to amend the laws to exclude non-tribals from contesting the autonomous council elections.”
“In every action the government has taken, the people were at the forefront,” he underscored.
He also informed that the “Delimitation Committee” has been constituted and measures to prepare a separate electoral roll for the GHADC are currently underway.
He also took the opportunity to inform on the development initiatives that the government has taken up for the growth of the State.
He said that there are some people who see the development and are trying to take credit for it. “They are taking credit for the development works that the NPP-led government is doing for the State. I don’t want to name them, but it is clearly evident as they choose Social Media to propagate their lies to garner publicity.”
Stating that the government is guided by the ideas of its founder leader, (L) Purno Agitok Sangma, the chief minister said, “We choose to work for the people rather than confronting our opponents, who are always there to take credit for our works.
“People can see through what we are doing. Their acting and dramas can create traction on social media, but the real action and efforts of the government will be decided and judged by the people of the State. Our commitment remains to our people, who have placed their faith in us.”
He also took the opportunity to highlight the infrastructure growth in the State and the promotion of various welfare initiatives for the people that have directly benefited farmers, women, and the youth.
“We as a government have been working at large to upscale the socio-economic livelihood of our people.”
During the programme, he also detailed the state’s rapid infrastructure growth across roads, healthcare, and education. He emphasised the transition to data-driven governance, including the introduction of the new Family ID Card system, designed to streamline welfare distribution and ensure direct benefits reach the citizens.
To boost rural livelihoods, the Government has intensified support for Self-Help Groups (SHGs), tourism, and farmers through specialized agricultural interventions, processing units, and robust subsidies.
He also underscored the transformative impact of the state’s flagship entrepreneurship initiatives aimed at empowering the youth and generating local employment:
PRIME (Promotion and Incubation of Market-driven Enterprises): Provides comprehensive training, mentorship, and incubation support to turn innovative ideas into viable business ventures.
CM-Elevate: Offers massive financial subsidies (up to 75%) and credit support across tourism, agriculture, and service sectors to help local youth establish independent businesses.
By Our Reporter
