Shillong, Jul 9: The slow progress of construction of Ekalavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in the state has led Meghalaya to form a task force.
The decision to set up the task force was taken after Chief Minister; Conrad Sangma met Tribal Affairs Minister, Arjun Munda in New Delhi recently.
“After discussing with the Tribal Affairs Minister we are setting up a task force,†Sangma said.
He also informed that he as the Chief Minister will be the chairperson and the members are the Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, officials of the Education department, Wapcos which is one of the implementing agencies including the Manipur Industrial Development Corporation and officials from the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Sangma said that the objective of this task force will be to ensure that all the different issues concerning land and other aspects which are leading to the slowdown of the overall implementation of this scheme will be taken up by this task force.
The Chief Minister also said that the Tribal Affairs Minister has informed him that the Ministry has identified 836 villages in Meghalaya which will be taken up in the next five years for overall development and gap funding in whatever areas that are required.
“The objective being to make these villages self-sufficient in one way, make these villages have the facilities that they require. So the Ministry of Tribal Affairs would actually fund these villages and it will be done in a five year plan,†Sangma said.
He also informed that a meeting will be organised next week along with the Joint Secretary of the concerned project.