Staff Reporter

Shillong, Dec 1: The Governor of Meghalaya, Phagu Chauhan ceremoniously flagged off the IEC (Information, Education and Communication) Van for the Urban areas under Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra from Raj Bhavan Shillong today. This initiative, originating from Khunti, Jharkhand, on November 15, 2023, dedicated to tribal areas, has now expanded its footprint to cover the entire nation covering both rural and urban areas.

In Meghalaya, the Van will cover urban localities across Meghalaya. This Yatra represents the largest-ever outreach initiative by the Government of India. Rooted in the vision of inclusive development, it has consistently aimed to ensure that the benefits of government schemes saturate every corner of the nation, achieving 100 per cent coverage. Each day, the vans will make two halts in prominent places, facilitating health camps, Aadhar enrollment, and other essential services.

Real-time data on ground-level activities, facilitated by Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) vans, is systematically captured on a portal developed by the Digital India Corporation under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. 

The overarching goal of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is to raise awareness and facilitate the delivery of welfare scheme benefits, spanning sanitation, financial services, electricity, housing, and more. Highlighted schemes include Ayushman Bharat, PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana, PM Svanidhi and PM Awas Yojana, among others.

The Yatra signifies a significant stride towards realizing this objective through extensive outreach, information dissemination, and empowering citizens to actively contribute to the country’s development.

The programme in Raj Bhavan was attended by senior officials of the state government and officials from Health Department, Civil Supplies, MUDA Authority, District Lead Bank Manager and Shillong Municipal Board and Social Welfare. Later in the day an outreach programme was held near Polo in Shillong where different departments particpated. Certifcates were also distributed on the spot to beneficiaries of PM SVANidhi.

Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home (Police) Prestone Tynsong said there has been no physical attack on the two church leaders from Shillong in Bihar and that they are safely returning to the state.

Speaking to media persons, Tynsong said immediately after receiving information about the incident at Patna, where Rev RG Laloo and church elder T Nongkhlaw were on a mission field visit and that some kind of argument had taken place, he had instructed the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police to communicate with the counterpart in Bihar to know what happened and to ensure the safety of the two church leaders.

He said immediate action was taken after information was received that the church leaders were being beaten up by a mob in Patna.

“But I am telling you nothing happened like that as per the information received and everything is fine. Ultimately all the groups went to the police station. Our intervention reached also at that point in time to the police station and now that case has been closed and it has been resolved among those people with the pastor and church elder,” Tynsong said.

The Deputy Chief Minister informed that an FIR has been filed by the two church leaders even as he reiterated that there has been no physical attack on them and that it was just a heated argument.

He informed that security has been given to the two church leaders at the airport and they are returning to the state tonight.

Expressing concern over the negative news on the incident being spread in social media, Tynsong said this may lead to communal tension in the state especially in Shillong City.

“Therefore, I would like to request all those concerned to kindly refrain from (spreading false news on social media) as the government has taken serious note of the incident. I have already spoken to the office of the chief minister and deputy chief minister in Patna and everything is fine. There is nothing to worry as both of them are returning tonight,” he said.

Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills SP Sylvester Nongtnger informed that with regard to the news circulating in social media of two church elders from Shillong being assaulted in Bihar, it may be informed that on receiving information of the same, the Senior Superintendent of Police, Patna and the Superintendent of Police (City) East Patna were contacted by East Khasi Hills Police and the Director General of Police, Meghalaya where it was gathered that at around 1.30 pm today, rumours had spread of some conversion going on in a house after which people had gheraoed it leading to an altercation and manhandled the occupants present therein.

He said that the police from Alamganj PS arrived there to contain the situation and escorted the two people to the thana for safe protection.

“Bihar Police had been communicated to give all the security and protection for their onward journey to Shillong and have escorted them to the airplane,” the SP said while informing that legal action has been taken by Bihar Police against the miscreants.