Sanjay Jaju takes charge as Secretary, Ministry of I&B

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Feb 5: Sanjay Jaju has today assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

He is a 1992-batch IAS officer from Telangana cadre. Upon his assumption of charge, he was welcomed by outgoing Secretary, Apurva Chandra and other officials of the Ministry and various media units. Apurva Chandra has been assigned the charge of Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Jaju has earlier served as Additional Secretary to Government of India from 2018 to 2023 and Director, National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited from October 2014 to March 2018.

He has served as Secretary to Govt of Andhra Pradesh (Electronics, IT and Communications Department) from May 2011 to October 2014.

Ronnie backs use of paperless proceedings in Legislative Assembly

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Feb 5: Leader of Opposition Ronnie V Lyngdoh today said that he is on board with the use of the National eVidhan Application (NeVA) to make the proceedings of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly seamless and paperless.

The Opposition Leader received training today on using the application by officials from the IT Cell of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat at the Conference Hall of the Administrative Block of the Meghalaya Assembly in Khyndailad, Police Bazar.

Lyngdoh expressed his appreciation to the Meghalaya Assembly Speaker, Thomas A Sangma, and officials of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Secretariat for initiating the implementation of the National eVidhan Application. He emphasized that this initiative can play a meaningful role in environment conservation.

He also pointed out the efficiency of the Application as it can be used to submit questions and notices anywhere on the go.

It may be mentioned that the application hosts a secure page for each Member of the House for submitting questions and other notices.

NeVA, deployed on the NIC Cloud MeghRaj, is a workflow system designed to facilitate the smooth conduct of House proceedings by the Chair, and conduct Legislative Business in a paperless manner and assist Hon’ble Members of the Legislative Assembly to carry out their duties in the House.

NeVA is a device-neutral and member-centric application created to equip them to handle diverse House Businesses smartly by putting entire information regarding member contact details, rules of procedure, list of business, notices, bulletins, bills, starred/unstarred questions and answers, papers laid, committee reports etc. in their handheld devices/ tablets and equip all Legislatures/ Departments to handle it efficiently. NeVA will completely eliminate the process of sending out a notice/request for the collection of data.

Umiam wetlands home to 155 water birds

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Feb 5: There are over 155 water birds found in the wetland areas of Umiam Lake, Ri Bhoi District.

This was as per the Asian Waterbird Census, 2024 conducted by the Meghalaya Forest & Environment Department through the office of the Divisional Forest Officer, Khasi Hills Wildlife Division Shillong in Collaboration with The Meghalaya Biodiversity Board on February 2.

The exercise was simultaneously conducted at Umsaw, Umbir, Umniuh, Mawlyndep & Umiam covering the wetland areas of Umiam Lake, Ri-Bhoi District, Meghalaya with the support and guidance from professionals.

H Lato, IFS, DFO Social Forestry Division, M Kharsyntiew, MFS, Assistant Conservator of Forests, from NGOs like Aaranyak (Dr) Dipankar Lahkar and  Pranjal Deka, experts from Meghalaya Biodiversity Board (Dr) E. Khongwir and (Dr) S Dey also participated in the programme.

During the exercise about 155 numbers of water birds comprising of 13 species.

The Asian Waterbird Census (AWC) is part of the global International Waterbird Census (IWC). This citizen-science programme supporting the conservation and management of wetlands and waterbirds worldwide is done yearly between January and February, wherein, volunteers across Asia and Australasia visit wetlands in their country and count waterbirds. It works in partnership with many existing national waterbird census programmes.

This day is also celebrated throughout the world as “World Wetland Day ” and the census was carried out to also commemorate this day to protect and preserve the pristine wetlands which act as a habitat for this avian life every year during their migration period. Through the exercise, it has been observed that the Umiam Wetland acts as an important habitat for this avian life.

Meghalaya CM underscores importance of the youth

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Feb 5: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma felicitated the Sports Achievers of Meghalaya Games 2024 and Khelo India Youth Games 2024 at a function that was held at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong. Also present during the occasion were Minister of Health & Family Welfare etc Ampareen Lyngdoh and Minister of Sports & Youth Affairs, Shakliar Warjri. 

During the felicitation function, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, congratulating the achievers, said that the achievements and laurels brought to the state must be celebrated. “This week is an important week and throughout the week we will be celebrating our youth in Sports, Entrepreneurship, and Music and every activity we are having this week is connected to the youth,” he said. 

He further informed that the idea of felicitating and recognizing the achievements of the youth is to project them as Icons and Motivators for others. “I want to tell the youth who are here today that you have an important and responsible role and it is not just about winning a medal or getting an award but becoming exemplary and role models,” he said. 

The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the MSOA, the different sports associations and the Sports department for their contribution towards the success of the Meghalaya Games. “There were challenges but every year we are ensuring that the games become better and we overcome the challenges,” he added. 

Congratulating the Football Team that had won the cup in the Khelo India Youth Games the Chief Minister said that the team has made the State proud and added, “They have come out as champions and this only goes to show the kind of talent that we have and what we can achieve if we are focused and determined,” he concluded. 

Earlier, Minister, of Sports & Youth Affairs, Shakliar Warjri reminded the athletes to use the Cash Award wisely to further their skill and talent in the Sports they have excelled. 

“We as a government acknowledge the hard work that you have put in to win the medal but this is not the end, aim to achieve greater heights because you are the future of our state,” he said. 

Later the dignitaries distributed Cash Awards to medal winners in different disciplines.

Youth of Meghalaya in Agriculture: A Boon or Burden

By Snehal Athawale and Ram Singh

A common stereotype persists that agriculture is primarily the domain of the older generation. Therefore, the demography of Indian agriculture is changing fast mainly because younger people are leaving farming. This is particularly noticeable among the youth from rural areas in the North East Region (NER) of India who are moving to cities for better-paying jobs. Findings from the State of Working India (SWI) report for 2023 shed light on this transformation. The report reveals a substantial increase in non-agricultural employment, signalling a significant migration of people away from agriculture. As India’s GDP has doubled, the share of agricultural employment has declined by 15.5 percentage points. India stands as a youthful nation with a median age of 28.2 years, distinguishing it from its neighbour China where a median age is 39 years. However, a pressing concern arises from the SWI report, which highlights the unemployment challenges faced by India’s young graduates. Shockingly, 42.3% of those under 25 years of age struggle to secure employment opportunities despite holding degrees.

In a concerning trend, the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2021-22 had revealed that most northeastern states in India are grappling with higher unemployment rates than the national average. However, the extent and nature of unemployment in the region remain inadequately understood. In reality, very few attempts have been made in the past to explain the diverse dimensions of unemployment at regional levels in India.  According to recent data from Consumer Pyramids Household Survey (CMIE’s), the overall unemployment rate for the country decreased to 7.1% in September 2023, marking a significant drop from the 8.1% rate reported a month earlier in August.

In NER, the share of the youth population surpasses that of the country as a whole, both in rural and urban areas. Between 2001 and 2011, the youth population in the NER exhibited a growth rate of two percent annually. This demographic surge in the youth population can be a valuable resource if harnessed effectively but also a potential risk if mismanaged. Meghalaya’s youth demographic is particularly noteworthy, with over 74% falling within the under 35 years of the total state’s population. Acknowledging this, Meghalaya’s Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, emphasized, “The demand for jobs is substantial, and it is not feasible for the Government to readily accommodate everyone.” Accordance with this challenge, the strategic absorption of exuberance of youth in agriculture and allied sectors, often referred to as agripreneurship, assumes a pivotal role. Meghalaya’s diverse climate, agrobiodiversity and a fertile landscape provide a robust foundation for a variety of crops and associated enterprises. The state is the habitat for numerous indigenous fruits like Sohphie, Sohiong, Khasi mandarin, Kew pineapples etc., while also being a hub for its culinary odyssey. Earlier, Lakadong turmeric, Garo Dakmanda (traditional dress), Larnai pottery and Garo Chubitchi (alcoholic beverage) has been awarded with Geographical Indication (GI) tag which underscore the state’s commitment to preserving its cultural identity. With these opportunities, the youth stand poised as a boon to agriculture, equipped with the potential to elevate traditional practices with the age-old wisdom in the state.

However, as India’s agriculture undergoes a significant transformation, there remains a potential concern about retaining youth in the farming sector. A quote from Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, one of world’s most distinguished agricultural scientists captures this challenge, “In the coming years, one of the biggest challenges for Indian agriculture would be retaining its youth in agriculture. Unless farming becomes both intellectually stimulating and economically rewarding, it will be difficult to attract or retain rural youth in farming.”

Grasping these challenges, the Government of India introduced the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in May 2020, with a goal of investing in agriculture-related infrastructure. Meghalaya secured INR 190 crore for this scheme in 2020-21. The AIF actively encourages private and public investments in various facets of agriculture infrastructure, including irrigation, transportation, and post-harvest facilities. Along with this, the Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA) project is implemented in Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.

Recognizing these issues, Meghalaya’s government also took a significant step in July 2021 by approving the Meghalaya Youth Policy, 2021 by acknowledging the enormity of the job demand in the state. Recently, the government launched the flagship program CM Elevate, designed to promote entrepreneurship and job creation in the state. Over the next five years, the program will support 20,000 beneficiaries with a total investment of INR 300 crore ($40 million). While commendable programs like PRIME (Promotion and Incubation of Market-Driven Enterprises) and Chief Minister’s E-Champion Challenge, the state earned recognition as a Top Performer State at the National Startup Awards, 2022 held as part of the National Startup Day celebrations recently.

FOCUS (Farmers Collectivization for Upscaling Production and Marketing System) is already underway in the state, targeting youth engagement in agriculture and agripreneurship, there still remains an apparent need to infuse allure and enthusiasm into the agricultural sector for the purpose of retaining the youth within it. Altogether, a comprehensive evaluation of the ongoing policies and programs, both at the micro and macro levels is needed. This necessity further emphasizes the call for the establishment of specific, results-driven programs and policies dedicated to addressing this issue.

Snehal Athawale is a Ph.D. Scholar (Agricultural Economics), School of Social Sciences, College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Economics, Umiam, Meghalaya.

Ram Singh is a Professor (Agricultural Economics), School In charge of School of Social Sciences, College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Economics, Umiam and Dean College of Agriculture, Kyrdemkulai, Meghalaya.

Indian Army invites youth of Meghalaya to join as Agniveer

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 27: The Indian Army has invited online applications from the youth of the all districts of Meghalaya for selection as Agniveers under the Agnipath scheme. The window for online registration will commence from the first week of Feb 2024 onwards. The recruitment will be carried out in two phases.

(a)  Phase –I.     Online Computer Based Written Examination (Online CEE) will be conducted at selected centres in the State.

(b)  Phase-II.     Recruitment Rally will be conducted for selected candidates (shortlisted) who make it to the merit list in online Common Entrance Examination.

The candidates can register online on Join Indian Army website www.joinindianarmy.nic.in where they can check their eligibility criteria and create a personal profile. The candidates on successful filling the application will be directed to SBI portal through a link on the website to make payment of Rs 250/- plus bank charges as applicable. The payment can be made through various payment options like Debit/Credit cards, online banking of UPI. Candidates will be required to have an active email & mobile number which will be used for further communication by Indian Army. Candidates will have to select five choices for the exam centre. Candidates will need to enter Aadhaar number in online application and are therefore are advised to link Aadhaar to their mobile number. To provide candidates practice on online CEE as per their category, a category wise link has been provided on “Join Indian Army” website. Candidates are advised to carry out practice at least once before appearing for actual CEE. Animated videos on “How to Register” & “How to Appear for online CEE” are also available on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in. The helpline numbers of Army Recruitment Office Shillong are 0364-2504177, email: rohqshillong@gmail.com. Candidates can also raise any kind of query on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in for necessary clarifications.

Green Meghalaya preserving forest cover: Phagu

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 27: Over 1500 communities in Meghalaya are being supported for preserving almost 27,000 hectares of natural forest.

Informing this on Friday, Governor Phagu Chauhan while addressing the 75th Republic Day celebration in Shillong said that India’s biggest Payment for Ecosystem Services program – Green Meghalaya – is being implemented in the State. Under the scheme, communities are paid an annual grant for conserving forested areas.

“Till date, 1,500 communities have been supported for preserving almost 27,000 hectares of natural forest.”

He said Meghalaya is blessed with a 76 per cent unspoilt forest cover, more than 50,000 natural springs and 30,000 hectares of wetlands. This natural abundance is increasingly threatened by the perils of climate change.

“To mitigate environmental risks, the Government has earmarked 15% of the State’s annual budget for ‘Green Governance’,” he added.

Further, he informed that the Government has constructed more than 27,000 water harvesting structures through MGNREGA.

Additionally, another 600 Small Multi-Purpose Reservoirs are being built at a cost of 750 crore rupees with support from the Asian Development Bank. 382 of these reservoirs have already been constructed covering a total catchment area of more than 12,500 hectares.

The Governor said that the Chief Minister’s Solar Mission was launched in 2023 to make renewable solar power accessible to citizens in remote areas. The scheme provides up to 90 per cent subsidy on solar inverters to rural households and will benefit about 4,000 households and institutions over the next three years, he added

Union MoS visits SWGH, interacts with district officials, beneficiaries

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 27: In line with the mandate from the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER), Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad, Union Minister of State for Finance, today visited Ampati, headquarters of Meghalaya’s South West Garo Hills district to assess the progress of implementation of various government schemes.

Dr Karad was accompanied by the MP of 2-Tura constituency, Agatha K Sangma, Rangsakona MLA, Subir M. Marak, Deputy Commissioner, R.P. Marak, Superintendent of Police, Vikash Kumar during the series of interactions he had at three consecutive locations during his maiden day-long visit to the district headquarter.

At Ampati Circuit House conference hall, the Minister was briefed on the progress and achievements as well as the challenges faced in the implementation of various Central flagship schemes through a PowerPoint presentation by ADC Dr Rezina Ch Marak with the participation of the officials of concerned line departments.

Conducting a comprehensive review of central government schemes led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state government initiatives, he expressed satisfaction with the successful implementation of various schemes in the district, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to foster development in the Northeast region.

Dr Karad highlighted the potential to enhance financial inclusion, particularly in the hilly terrain, by increasing the reach of banks by establishing additional branches. He said discussions with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma revealed the existence of bank correspondents, and efforts will be made to open more branches to serve the region effectively.

The Minister underscored the importance of improving healthcare services, focusing on increasing the accessibility of quality generic medicines and boosting Ante Natal Checkup and Institutional delivery percentages. He encouraged the registration of pregnant women for the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, providing financial incentives for institutional delivery.

 Addressing the need for awareness, Dr Karad emphasized the importance of promoting government-backed schemes, such as the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana, offering affordable accident insurance. He also acknowledged the progress of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the district while calling for increased awareness and improved implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Aawas Yojana.

The Minister acknowledged the ongoing efforts in education through Eklavya Model Residential Schools and expressed a commitment to explore the possibility of opening more such schools to provide quality education to tribal students in remote areas.

As part of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra campaign, the Minister interacted with beneficiaries to raise awareness and ensure the saturation of government schemes across the country. The campaign aims to reach the unreached, particularly those eligible for various schemes but yet to avail of benefits.

He had a one-on-one interaction with few of the beneficiaries present and sought to know their feedback on availing the schemes as well as the problems they faced in availing them.

In concluding his visit, Dr Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad reiterated the collective responsibility to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, as envisioned by Prime Minister Modi, emphasizing the need for financial inclusion, awareness, and sustained efforts to bring about holistic development in the Northeast region.

During the interaction, MP Agatha Sangma and MLA, Subir Marak expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Dr Karad for taking the time to visit the region and listen to the problems of the people and certain challenges while implementing schemes and assured to take up the problems and work in tandem the Centre and the State.

The Union Minister later visited Ampati Civil Hospital to engage with dedicated medical professionals and discuss crucial enhancements for the health care system.

During the visit Dr Karad took the opportunity to interact with the doctors and medical staff, acknowledging their hard work and commitment to public health. He emphasized the importance of filling vacant posts within the hospital to ensure optimal patient care. Recognizing the urgent need for surgical interventions in the region, Dr Karad encouraged the medical staff to initiate surgeries promptly when required. His insight underscores the potential benefits of robust and responsive healthcare system for the people of the region.

Meghalaya’s SPARK NGO celebrated R-Day with underprivileged children

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 27: SPARK on Friday celebrated Republic Day with underprivileged children. More than 250 children who attended the programme from all the centres of SPARK namely Bara Bazaar slum, Mawlong Village, Mawlynrei Triashnong Village and Pongkung Village.

The highlights of the programme were the felicitation of Mother India followed by the singing of the National Anthem and a special cultural programme by the children expressing their love and respect for Mother India and pledging towards wellbeing, growth and development of the country and the Nation as a whole as well as to build unity and strength to fight against social evils and work together for the betterment of the Nation as well as bring rays of hope in the lives of the underprivileged children.

These children were reminded of the Constitution of India being enforced on this day highlighting the importance of the Constitution for each citizen and the Country as a whole.

The strong and active participation in this year’s Republic Day is believed to send a strong and clear message for the sincere effort required towards the protection and development of the children who are believed to be the ‘Future Citizens of the Nation’

The children participants consisted of rag pickers, domestic helpers, working children, street children, slum children, school drop-outs, cowboys, and other underprivileged children from East Khasi Hills District and Ri-Bhoi District.

Meghalaya govt open for peace talks

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 27: The state government has reiterated that it is open for talks with the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) within the Indian constitutional framework.

Addressing the 75th Republic Day celebration held in Shillong on Friday, Governor Phagu Chauhan said, “The Government is committed to bringing lasting peace to the State and once again reiterates that it is open to having talks with the HNLC within Indian’s constitutional framework and as per the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.”

His statement also came after the HNLC had decided to pull out of the tripartite peace talks with the Government.

Stating that the overall law and order situation in the State during the last year was peaceful, Chauhan said, “We made significant progress in resolving the border dispute between Meghalaya and Assam.”

Further, he informed that following the historic signing of a memorandum of understanding in March 2022 for six areas of difference, the process of survey has been initiated to demarcate the interstate boundary.

“The two Chief Ministers met again in May 2023 to initiate the process of resolving the dispute in the remaining six areas of difference,” Chauhan said while adding that the regional Committees have been formed for these areas and they have conducted meetings with their Assam counterparts.

Moreover, the Governor said, the Home (Police) Department has augmented the district-level police infrastructure and Police Housing. The Fire Emergency Services are being strengthened on priority. Recruitment to nearly 3,000 vacant posts will also be completed in a time-bound manner