NPP-led Government has elevated sports to a major department, says Conrad
Anangpara (South West Garo Hills), Oct 20: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday said the development of sports in the state remains a top priority for the Government, with the NPP-led Government investing approximately Rs 2,000 crore in the Sports Department over the last eight years to elevate it to a major department.
The chief minister made the statement while laying the foundation stone for the Synthetic Football Ground at Anangpara Playground, South West Garo Hills, in the presence of MLAs Mehtab Chandee A. Sangma, Ian Botham K. Sangma and Sanjay A. Sangma, and MDC Linekar K. Sangma.
The chief minister thanked the Sports Department and all line departments for organizing the programme. He also felicitated Limbirth Ch. Marak, a noted social worker, for his service to society.
Stating that sports is a priority for the Government, he said, “Prior to 2018, the Sports Department was treated as a minor department with an annual budget of only Rs 50-100 crore. In the last eight years, the NPP-led Government has elevated it to a major department with an investment of approximately Rs 2,000 crore.”
He informed that, as part of the Government’s endeavour to promote sports, 58 artificial turf playgrounds are being constructed across Meghalaya, one in each constituency. Once all 58 turfs are completed, the Government will also organize grassroots tournaments for the Under-10 and Under-17 to Under-20 age groups at the local and block levels across the state’s 56 blocks, to identify and nurture talent for district and state-level competitions.
He further informed that, in the last few years, projects worth approximately Rs 900 crore have been sanctioned for South West Garo Hills alone for the development of schools, PHC/CHC upgradation, road connectivity, stadiums and artificial turfs. He said that this scale of investment had never been seen in the district in the past.
Stating that interior districts, including South Garo Hills, South West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills, East Jaintia Hills and Ri-Bhoi, had been neglected earlier, he said the Government is now ensuring balanced development. “The long-pending demand for an Additional Secretariat at Tura is being fulfilled and it will be operational soon, ensuring that government services are accessible to the people of Garo Hills without having to travel to Shillong. One block will be designated as the Chief Minister’s Block, where the Cabinet and the Chief Secretary will hold sittings. The Additional Secretariat is targeted for inauguration in September 2027.”
On the Separate Electoral Roll (SER) for the GHADC, he said that for over 70 years there had been a demand for a separate electoral roll in which only Scheduled Tribes could vote and contest. The NPP Government, he said, has fulfilled this historic demand to protect tribal identity and rights.
