SPB to submit ‘white paper’ on flagship programmes by Dec

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 9, 2019

SHILLONG: The State Planning Board is all set to submit a ‘white paper’ on the implementation of the various mission-mode programmes under the Integrated Basin Development Livelihood Programme (IBDLP), by the end of this year.

“We will submit the white paper to the state government by December. At the moment, the board is still in the process of preparing the report,” chairman of the board, Lambor Malngiang told reporters here on Wednesday.

It may be mentioned here that the IBDLP is a flagship programme introduced by the then Congress-led state government.

Malngiang said the white paper will highlight the various programmes implemented through the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) since 2014-15.

“It will also recommend doing away with some of the programmes which are not useful for the state in order for the state government to take a call on the matter,” he added.

He also recalled that the same have been expressed by the chief minister Conrad K Sangma in the floor of the Assembly while asking the board to submit the white paper.

The chairman further informed that the board would also submit its other recommendations to the state government, which is committed in providing the best services to the people and the state.

“I am waiting for the chief minister so that he can have joint review meeting with the planning board on the various issues that are affecting the people of the state,” he said.

To highlight a few, Malngiang said that the board will recommend to the state government on the need to provide lorry trucks for supplying of medicines to the five districts of Garo Hills region.

According to him, supply of medicines to the region has not been able to reach on time as at present there is only one truck.

The chairman also informed that he would also urge the state government to consider waiving the housing loans granted in the year 1990-1995.

He said the board will also propose few link roads for construction to ease the traffic congestion in the Shillong city. These include Pomlakrai to Rngi at 5^th Mile, Upper Shillong, Laitkor to Crinoline, Malki and others.

When asked on the proposal to introduce school buses, Malngiang however said the board would soon invite the heads of different schools to discuss on the matter.

“We have also invite experts in supervising school buses. However, the issue has evoked both positive and negative response from stakeholders and that is why we feel the need to have more consultation to find out a feasible solution to the problem,” he said.

Lauding the efforts of the state police in tackling the issue of drug menace in the state, the chairman of the board informed that he had also sent a note to the state government on the urgent need to set up a government-run rehabilitation centre to provide treatment and counseling especially to those coming from poor family background.