Shillong, January 19: The Meghalaya government’s third Cabinet Retreat, a two-day exercise, is aimed at aligning the vision and targets of all departments with the state’s long-term development goals, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, outlining the objectives and key outcomes of the ongoing deliberations.
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| Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma |
Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said the retreat is designed to help departments clearly define their targets, share them across the government, and improve inter-departmental coordination. He said such an approach not only improves transparency but also motivates officials to work as a cohesive team towards the larger vision of the state.
This year’s retreat has been centred on the government’s “Mission 10” framework, which goes beyond the goal of achieving a USD 10 billion Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP). The Chief Minister explained that the government has identified 10 key opportunity areas—including agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, power, and other sectors—through which this growth can be achieved, while also mapping the kind of employment opportunities each sector can generate.
He said discussions also focused on government commitments that must advance alongside economic growth. These include housing for all, drinking water, stable power supply, quality education, and accessible healthcare. The Chief Minister emphasised that economic expansion must be accompanied by social equity, ensuring that no community or village is left behind.
Highlighting digital infrastructure, he said over 90 per cent of villages are covered by 4G connectivity, though gaps remain in signal quality in certain areas. Issues such as lack of power supply to mobile towers were raised during the retreat and addressed on the spot, with assurances from the Power Department to resolve them promptly. He also spoke about the Last Mile Connectivity Project, aimed at providing optical fibre connectivity to all district headquarters, blocks, schools, health institutions, and government offices within the next two years.
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The Chief Minister noted that improved connectivity will strengthen governance, enhance education, and expand healthcare services through telemedicine. He stressed that departments must look beyond routine administrative tasks and focus on outcomes, citing agriculture and irrigation as examples where success should be measured by increased production rather than infrastructure alone.
On entrepreneurship, he said the PRIME programme has already supported nearly 5,000 entrepreneurs. However, he underlined the need to integrate entrepreneurship initiatives across departments such as Industries, Agriculture, Veterinary, and Fisheries to avoid duplication, create a unified database, and enable data-driven decision-making.
Responding to queries on illegal coal mining, the Chief Minister said the government is not in denial and has taken firm action, including filing over a thousand cases, arrests, and mine closures. At the same time, he acknowledged the historical dependence of communities on coal mining for livelihoods and described the current phase as a transition towards scientific and regulated mining, following Supreme Court directions.
He said while challenges remain, the government is committed to enforcing the law while ensuring a gradual and sustainable transition. Expressing cautious optimism, he added that the worst phase may be behind the state, with scientific mining expected to reduce illegal activities over time.
The Chief Minister said the Cabinet Retreat serves as a platform to realign thinking, actions, and outcomes across departments, ensuring that Meghalaya’s growth story remains inclusive, balanced, and equitable.
