Shillong, May 14: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday said governance must remain connected and responsive to citizens as he addressed the CM Connect – Public Consultative Meet, organised by the Department of Urban Affairs in collaboration with the Shillong Municipal Board at U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, senior government officials, representatives of urban local bodies, community leaders, artists, and citizens from across Shillong attended the programme.
Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said CM Connect was conceptualised primarily as a platform to listen to citizens and ensure that governance remains adaptive to public needs. “A true democracy can only function when the government remains connected to its citizens,” he said, adding that government decisions may sometimes need to be revisited based on feedback from the ground.
He described CM Connect as more than just a programme, calling it an idea aimed at ensuring continuous interaction between the government and the people through meetings and field engagement. He said governance requires humility and openness to correction, while constructive criticism helps improve policies and service delivery.
Highlighting urban challenges such as waste management, roads, and civic infrastructure, Sangma urged citizens to contribute solutions alongside criticism. He also stressed respectful engagement with officials, noting that departments often work within logistical and financial constraints.
The Chief Minister said CM Connect operates through a centralised grievance redressal mechanism linked to the 1971 call centre, where complaints are recorded, assigned to departments, monitored through dashboards, and escalated if delayed. He added that the model would be strengthened through integration with MLA Connect and DC Connect for more structured citizen engagement at the local level.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said the success of CM Connect reflects strong public participation, particularly by youth, and cooperation between government departments, traditional institutions, and community leaders.
He said governance cannot remain confined to offices and must directly engage with people to understand their concerns. Dhar also highlighted ongoing urban transformation initiatives, improved connectivity, civic infrastructure projects, and the government’s focus on youth empowerment through training and employment opportunities.
During the programme, the Chief Minister’s Artist Engagement Scheme was launched to promote public art and cultural expression through murals and street art across the state. Selected artists received mobilisation advance cheques of ₹20,000 each.
The Shillong Municipal Board also introduced a locality grading initiative under the PM Upliftment of Urban Bodies programme to assess areas based on cleanliness, waste management, and environmental practices. Top-performing localities received awards, including ₹12 lakh for the highest rank.
An interactive session followed, where citizens raised issues related to water supply, drainage, street lighting, CCTV coverage, road maintenance, and power supply. Officials from departments including PHE, Power, PWD, and Urban Affairs responded to queries and outlined ongoing interventions and infrastructure upgrades.
The Chief Minister also spoke about improving coordination among agencies through an integrated monitoring mechanism and highlighted infrastructure projects linked to upcoming events such as the National Games in Shillong, Tura, and Jowai.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Director of Urban Affairs P.K. Boro.
