PATHARKHMAH, Oct 12: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has proposed setting up mini-secretariats across the state to improve access to government services and reduce the burden of long-distance travel for people, particularly those living in remote areas.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a Mini-Secretariat at Patharkhmah in Ri-Bhoi district on Monday, Sangma said people should not have to travel for hours or even days to access routine government services.
“People should not travel for hours and hours or days for a government service, and administration should come closer to the people,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised that infrastructure alone would not ensure effective governance, adding that the commitment and performance of officials were equally important in delivering services to citizens.
He urged block development officers to discharge their duties with empathy and kindness, stressing the need for a modern, responsive and citizen-friendly administration.
Sangma said the proposed Mini-Secretariat at Patharkhmah would bring the offices of the Patharkhmah Civil Sub-Division together on a single campus, enabling people to complete related administrative work in one visit instead of travelling between different offices.
The event also witnessed the inauguration of the new Jirang Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Block Office, the new building of Patharkhmah Senior Secondary School and the campus of Patharkhmah Model Degree College.
The Jirang Block Office was inaugurated by Ribansi Jamu, a goalkeeper of the India Women’s National Football Team who hails from the area. Sangma said it was appropriate to entrust the inauguration to someone who could inspire young people to pursue their aspirations.
The Chief Minister noted that many block offices across Meghalaya were operating from rented or dilapidated buildings. The government, he said, was working to renovate existing facilities and replace inadequate structures with integrated office complexes.
Established on March 24, 2001, the Jirang C&RD Block has its headquarters at Patharkhmah. For most families in the area, the block office serves as their primary point of contact with the government, handling matters related to rural roads, housing, water supply, livelihood schemes and village-level development works.
The government is also investing in block-level infrastructure across Ri-Bhoi district. A complex for the Mawhati C&RD Block has been approved at a cost of Rs. 4.50 crore.
According to the information shared at the event, Ri-Bhoi has 184 projects individually costing more than Rs. 1 crore, with a combined approved outlay of Rs. 1,847.38 crore. Of these, 14 projects have been completed, 109 are ongoing and 61 have been initiated.
Several projects are directly benefiting Western Ri-Bhoi, including a steel truss bridge on the Patharkhmah road costing Rs. 16.58 crore, an approach road to the degree college worth Rs. 3.51 crore and the Jirang Primary Health Centre project costing Rs. 1.26 crore.
The proposed Mini-Secretariat and other infrastructure initiatives are aimed at strengthening local administrative facilities and bringing essential public services closer to communities across Meghalaya.
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