Rakkam bats for Baghmara – Assam – Bangladesh rail connection

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Nov 15: Border Area Development Minister Rakkam A Sangma has urged the government to consider a proposal for connecting Baghmara in South Garo Hills with Guwahati, Assam and Bangladesh with a railway line.

Rakkam, who is also NPP legislator from Rongara-Siju, also termed the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act and provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India as the greatest protection mechanism for the indigenous people while referring to groups opposing railways in Khasi-Jaintia region apprehending influx and illegal immigration.

Speaking to reporters, the minister said there was a proposal a long time back when Captain Williamson Sangma was chief minister to connect Guwahati with Bangladesh through Baghmara with railways.

“I will also still demand to make this happen because Baghmara can be the corridor for Meghalaya and for the North East where it can be connected directly to Dhaka. The trade and employment generation will rise up and lots of our young people and economy will improve,” he said while adding “Therefore, it is my pleasure to demand to the Government of India and I will also be meeting the Chief Minister very soon as a local MLA to demand for railways to connect Guwahati to Bangladesh to Dhaka through Baghmara.”

According to him, a petition was already submitted that an integrated check gate should be set up at Baghmara so that tourists and businessmen can come in because if the railway comes, the economy of the people will improve to a great extent.

Asked if he would request the government to divert the railway project proposed for Shillong and Byrnihat to Baghmara, Rakkam said, “If it is possible, I would request the railways department, the government of India, the government of Meghalaya to connect Baghmara with Guwahati by railway.”

Having said so, to me as education minister I want to say that every year I have been attending most of the graduation and convocation ceremonies in the state where there are 18,000 to 20,000 graduates and post-graduates every year. Out of 20,000 in a year, only 1,500 – 2000 government jobs are being advertised while the rest 18,000 plus educated are unemployed.”

On the continued opposition against railways in Khasi-Jaintia regions, the minister said, “Yes, there may be issues with everybody but now we have to decide the merits and demerits. Coming of railways to Shillong or East Khasi Hills may have the negative and demerits also but the merits are also there like the connectivity, job opportunities. The people from Garo Hills are going to Dimpur to buy clothes because the cost is cheaper. Therefore, I request that our people decide after comparing the merits and demerits. Whichever is heavier (they should go with that only).”

He said people should allow railways if proper mechanisms can be installed as employment and economy is the need of the hour.

“Therefore, we need more industries, we need more railways, we need more markets, we need more institutions which will create employment for the young people. Livelihood is above all important. As a son of the state, we should find a way to make our graduates employed.”

Also stating that it is important for the government to take up the issue of influx and immigration on priority, Rakkam said granting of ILP or not is in the hands of the Government of India but the Land Transfer Act and provisions of Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India are the greatest weapons for the people of the state. He also announced that the government is also contemplating introducing the Sixth Schedule as part of the school curriculum.

“Everybody should know this. We want to introduce in our curriculum that every students must read about Sixth Schedule about the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people, the culture, the tradition, the food, the assets, the rivers, the potential that we have…the Sixth Schedule is a complete mechanism,” he said while recalling that “Captain Sangma once stated when somebody asked a question that there are some people who wants to do away with the Sixth Schedule. Captain stated anybody who decides to do away with the Sixth Schedule he is the most useless person on the earth as the Sixth Schedule is a greatest pillar laid down by the leaders of the past specially for tribal people specially for Meghalayans.”

“Therefore, the Sixth Schedule is a greatest pillar and greated protection mechanism for all of us. Having said so, the provision of the Sixth Schedule if strengthened we got nothing to lose,” he asserted further.

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.