Meghalaya State BJP waiting for central nod to new executive members

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 9: BJP leader and cabinet minister AL Hek has informed that the list of the new state executive members is awaiting the approval of the central leadership.

“This morning I spoke to the newly elected president Rikman G Momin, who is on the way to Delhi with a list for the approval of the central leaders. After getting the approval, they will publish the names of the new state executive members of the party,” Hek told reporters.

On the party’s preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Hek said that his name is among the three ticket aspirants for the Shillong parliamentary seat.

“However, I don’t know who the other two names are. So we will see who from the three names will be the best choice for contesting from Shillong parliamentary seat,” he said while adding “Among the three, whoever will be chosen, we will have to work hard and ensure win in this upcoming Lok Sabha election.”

On TMC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma joining the BJP, Hek however said the door of the BJP is not only open to TMC but also to all political parties.

“Mukul Sangma can join at any time he wants. I welcome him anytime but we have not discussed so how will I know if he is joining or not. But for us the door is open to anybody who wants to come to the BJP,” he said.

Hek also said that he has no idea on whether Mukul Sangma is in touch or not with the BJP central leadership.

CM ELEVATE program a game changer for the youth

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 21: A momentous day in Meghalaya’s history unfolded as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K Sangma, officially inaugurated the much-anticipated CM-Elevate program at the Vivanta, Shillong.

This transformative initiative sets the stage for empowerment, entrepreneurship, and economic development in the state, promising a brighter future for Meghalaya’s youth.

Addressing the occasion, Conrad Sangma said the government aimed at engaging, employing, and empowering the youth of Meghalaya through entrepreneurship, which he believed serves as a holistic solution for fulfilling business needs.

He said, “We aim to create entrepreneurship opportunities for over 20,000 individuals across various sectors over the next three years. This initiative comes with a substantial investment of approximately 300 crores.”

Speaking about the partnerships that the Government has established with both public and private sector banks to facilitate easy access to credit for aspiring entrepreneurs, the Chief Minister stated that financial support ranging from 35 to 75 per cent of the project cost to mitigate credit risks can be offered.

He said, “To minimize risks and barriers, we extend upfront financial aid to entrepreneurs and have collaborated with banks for financing. The program offers term loans covering up to 95% of the project cost, with varying loan terms (ranging from 5 to 15 years) and moratorium periods (between 3 to 18 months), coupled with variable interest rates across different schemes. We have created three lakh jobs in the private sector in the last five years, and I am sure the number will increase in the coming years. I have always held the belief that the government’s role should be limited to formulating policies, fostering a conducive ecosystem, and providing essential facilities to support entrepreneurs. This is just the beginning, and as we progress, we will refine and adapt our approach, allocating additional funds as necessary.”

In his speech, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh said, “The CM-ELEVATE Programme underscores our government’s unwavering commitment to the betterment of our youth and the future of Meghalaya. We anticipate around 700 direct employment opportunities and numerous indirect job opportunities, benefiting the youth of Meghalaya. We expect more than 2000 direct and indirect job opportunities through these three schemes of the Tourism Department.”

The Minister also highlighted four noteworthy schemes under the Tourism Department, namely, Green Villa Scheme, Homestay Scheme, Motorhome Meghalaya Scheme, and Prime Tourism Vehicle Scheme.

Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Ampareen Lyngdoh while delivering her speech highlighted the program’s importance in the context of agriculture and said, “The CM – ELEVATE program represents another significant step in strengthening Agri-infrastructure in the State. By offering 50 per cent financial aid for the establishment of polyhouses, the program promotes the cultivation of high-value vegetables and floriculture crops. In its initial phase, the program aims to subsidize the setup of 1,000 poly houses, fostering agricultural development in Meghalaya.”

Dr Vijay Kumar D, IAS said, “It creates an ecosystem for the development of entrepreneurship. The highlights of the program include the introduction of 15 different schemes. Our goal is to support up to 20,000 businesses in the next five years. With as little as 4,000 rupees in capital, people can start a business, and the government provides subsidies ranging from 35% to 75% to support these endeavours.”

The CM-ELEVATE PROGRAM is a comprehensive solution tailored to the diverse business needs of Meghalaya’s citizens. Notably, the program features a user-friendly single-window portal for applications, ensuring a seamless experience for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Need of reservation policy for vulnerable section: Hek

BJP leader and cabinet minister AL Hek on Friday asserted the need for the reservation policy to give priority to the vulnerable section of the society in the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills region.

“If you ask me, everybody should get justice. Why not now the job reservation policy give priority to the vulnerable society of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo and also some percentage for the established families (of the three tribes). However, 50 per cent should be reserved for Khasi, Jaintia and Garo from the vulnerable section of the society,” Hek told reporters.

He added, “Let this also come out why only think about rich people. Give a chance to the poorest of the poor also (so that they can) at least stand on their feet, have their own position, and look after their family very well.”

Hek said, “Now we are getting 40:40 (from this), we will make it 50 per cent for the vulnerable society of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo and another 30 per cent of which 15 per cent will go Khasi-Jaintia and 15 per cent to Garo. What is wrong as all 80 per cent will go to our own community only. By doing this, the benefit will come to the poor people of the state of Meghalaya who are the tribal people.”

He said there are so many poor people who from generation to generation, their family were not given the opportunity to get a government job.

As far as the implementation of the roster system is concerned, Hek said he had convened a meeting with all senior BJP leaders to discuss this issue.

“We have not called entire leaders of BJP who are from Jaintia Hills, Garo Hills but only few leaders who are stationed in Shillong. Now, we have decided and told our president Ernest Mawrie also yesterday that we want this meeting to be called immediately with all the members including from Garo Hills, Jaintia Hills to discuss this sensitive issue which is prevailing in this present situation in the state of Meghalaya,” he said.

Further, the BJP leader also referred to the deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong’s statement that the government had filed an affidavit three times before the High Court for implementing the roster prospectively and said, “So the government has taken initiative on this issue.”

He said that they expect the chief minister to call the cabinet meeting anytime to discuss this sensitive issue.