Proposal to set up Centre of Excellence for Agar
Shillong, April 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday reviewed the various beautification and cleanliness projects among others under the Mission 10 framework.
“We had a series of review meetings regarding beautification and overall cleanliness and other urban projects in Shillong, Jowai, and Tura,” Sangma said after a series of meetings at Tara Ghar state guest house.
Progress in bio-remediation at the Marten landfill site and efforts to expand waste collection beyond municipal limits were also assessed.
Stressing the need to maximise economic potential and public value, Sangma directed officials to adopt innovative models such as public-private partnerships while ensuring efficient land use.
He said prime urban spaces should be developed into vibrant commercial and public hubs, integrating mobility, commerce, and community spaces.
Underlining the need for cooperation from the community to take up these projects, he said, “It was about… how we would involve the community, support the community, and work with the community.”
He said objective of the meetings is to ensure improvement of Shillong’s cleanliness, waste management, and overall water waste management.
The meetings were held in presence of senior ministers and top officials from across departments including Transport, Forest & Environment, Arts & Culture, Urban Affairs, and teams linked to the upcoming Games.
On his review of preparations for the National Games, Sangma said, “We went into all the details about infrastructure, accommodation, transport, the number of athletes and sports persons who will be coming, the different sports, in which locations it will be held, and so forth.”
With over 1,200 athletes currently in training, the Chief Minister stressed the timely completion of sports infrastructure and high-quality arrangements for participants, reaffirming the government’s commitment to successfully host the event and build a lasting sports legacy.
The review meetings also laid thrust on developing high-value sectors, particularly agarwood and essential oils.
A proposal was placed to set up a Centre of Excellence for Agar in Meghalaya, with Sangma saying the state sees a “huge opportunity” in the field.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the forest department’s performance, focusing on revenue generation and improvement of services.
Besides Sangma met with the Meghalaya Transport Corporation to discuss ways to improve the utilization of its assets.
“We discussed how we could improve and ensure that we can use it in a much more effective manner,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister underlined that development must align with ecological protection and long-term balance.
Departments were asked to accelerate afforestation efforts, strengthen wildlife conservation, and address human-animal conflict while ensuring that such initiatives also generate livelihoods for local communities.
He also called for stricter enforcement against illegal activities such as mining and smuggling, alongside better use of technology and monitoring systems.
Promotion of eco-tourism through professional management and partnerships was highlighted as a key opportunity.
