Recommendations

Recommendations made by the Last State Planning Board in respect of the following departments are as follows:-

  1. PWD (R&B) – The Board suggested to expedite early implementation of the 4-lane Shillong Bye-Pass.
    In view that the Spill Over Schemes had crossed over 600 crores, it was suggested that no new schemes should be taken up so as to clear the Backlog. The Board further recommended that all Spill Over Schemes under PWD(Buildings) should be completed within the 11th Plan period.

  2. Arts & Culture – It was observed that the State Central Library needs to be upgraded, and opined that any auditorium to be taken up should have a sitting capacity of 1000 or above.

  3. Sericulture & Weaving – The Board was of the view that improvement of infrastructure is a must for the department and in this context advised the department to find out ways and means to convert Non-Plan expenditure into Plan to get some funds for the purpose.

  4. Community & Rural Development – The Board felt the need of having the Panchayati Raj System in the State so that funds from the Govt. of India is not deprived and an endeavour is to be made to find out a nomenclature socially acceptable to all the people in the state keeping in mind that people are quite sensitive on issue of change over from the traditional set up.

    The Board was observed that most Block Development Officers are not full- fledged. They are borrowed temporarily from other departments with no administrative training. The BDOs are the Cadre posts of the MCS but at present only 12 BDO offices are manned by officers of MCS cadre out of the existing 39 BDO offices. In view of the importance attached to the posts of Block Development Officers, the Board recommended that fresh appointment of MCS should be taken up by the Govt. immediately so that all the 39 Blocks could be manned by officers of MCS cadre as soon as possible.

    On the Centrally Sponsored Scheme SJSRY, it was noted that during the 10th Plan, an amount of Rs.120 lakhs was provided and the expenditure incurred was Rs.23.92 lakhs only as there was no release of Central Share due to delay in submission of Utilisation Certificate. Hence the Board suggested that there should be a Banking Adviser and a trained Community organizer in each Constituency to Co-ordinate the programme.

    The Board felt the need of an in-depth evaluation of the scheme SGSY (Swarhnajayanti Gram Sawarozgar Yojana) as to the purpose of the scheme and the financial pattern. It was also suggested for a fresh survey of BPL families with reflection of achievements made during the 10th Plan.

  5. Border Areas Development – The Board suggested to reopen the 5 Border hats as there is much interaction between Meghalaya and Bangladesh on coal and limestone trade.

  6. Agriculture/Horticulture/Minor Irrigation – The Board recommended the followings :
    1. Agricultural mechanization.
    2. To create awareness about the principle and concept of organic farming.

    The Board recommends the following thrust areas for the department’s approach to the 11th Plan.

    1. Implementation of scheme in specific clusters such as the impact of the scheme benefits the entire community within the cluster.
    2. Establishment of collection centres in and around the clusters and establishment of a cold chain along major arterial highways.
    3. Increase the use of Hybrid and High Yielding variety seeds.
    4. Multiplication/Patenting of some unique indigenous species like Lakadong Turmeric, Khasi Mandarin, Soh Nairiang, Ginger etc.
    5. Capture a viable and stable market for the horticulture/floriculture produce of the state to reach exportable levels within the 11th Plan.
    6. Privatisation of management of the departmental fruit Processing Units.
    7. Standardise production techniques for different crops.

On “Year of the Farmer” the Board made the following recommendations for consideration of the Government.

  1. Setting up of a State Level Co-ordination Committee to oversee the implementation of ‘Year of the Farmer 2007’. The Committee may include the Chief Minister as Chairman, Chairman, State Planning Board as Co-Chairman and Agricultural Production Commissioner as Member-Convener. The Members of the Committee may include concerned Ministers and Senior State Government Officials of the rank of Principal Secretaries/Commissioner & Secretaries of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary, Soil and Water Conservation, Fisheries, Co-operation, Community and Rural Development and Sericulture and Weaving Departments.
  2. Setting up of a Steering Committee with Shri A.H.Scott Lyngdoh as Chairman and the Members may include the Chief Secretary and all Principal Secretaries and Commissioner & Secretaries of all concerned Departments. The Commissioner & Secretary, Agriculture Department to act as the Member-Convener for the above Steering Committee.
  3. The nodal department for the entire programme will be the Agriculture Department.
The launching of the ‘Year of the Farmer 2007’ is scheduled for the 20th January,2007 (21st January,2007 being Sunday) at Shillong and Tura while the closing ceremony is scheduled for the 21st January,2008.

Irrigation being the lifeline of agriculture, its development and meticulous management is the need of the hour. The Board therefore recommends that all steps should be taken to make better use of water resources in the state to increase the production levels during the 11th Plan with special emphasis on -

  1. Completion of ongoing scheme expeditiously.
  2. Building additional irrigation infrastructure.
  3. Participatory Irrigation Management through Water Users Association in each command area.
  1. Power - Regarding Transmission Schemes the existing transmission system in the state is very weak for which the state could not even draw its share from the Central Power Sector. The Central Power Share for the state is 132 MW but the MSEB could draw only 60-70MW during peak hours due to the weak transmission system.

In view of above the department proposes the following thrust areas during the 11th Plan.

  1. To complete on-going projects under Generation and Transmission schemes.
  2. To implement 6 new schemes under Generation and 18 new schemes under Transmission Projects, and completion of the Ganol, Umtrew and Umngot Projects at the earliest during the 11th Plan.
  3. To maintain the Hydro-Thermal mix-Thermal Projects are required to avoid power shortage during the poor monsoon period.
The Board endorses the approach of the department. However regarding 30% Equity Share by the government, the Board is of the view that this may affect the allocation of funds for other important departments especially Agriculture and Allied Sector.

MNREDA – Non Conventional & Rural Energy Development Agency.

The Board recommended the following thrust areas for its approach to the 11th Plan.

  1. To continue successful programme during the 10th Plan in the 11th Five Year Plan.
  2. Evaluation of the projects/programmes implemented so far.
  3. Electrification of the remaining 126 remote villages.
  4. Provision of residential accommodation to the officers/staff in the Districts.
  5. Create wide awareness for popularization of solar technology-systems and products among individual users and ensure after service facilities for the success of the scheme.
  1. Soil and Water Conservation – The Board recommends as follows :-

    1. Slopping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) - An integrated project envisaging a convergence of activities like health, irrigation, schools afforestation etc. to improve Jhum cultivation – To take up as a Pilot Project
    2. To take up Jatropha plantation on a large scale through the assistance of NOVOD Board (National Oilseeds and Vegetable oils Development Board.).
    3. Rain harvesting and water conservation works for improvement the environment of Cherrapunjee and surrounding areas.
  1. Education – The Board recommended the following proposed thrust areas envisaged for the 11th Plan.
    1. To achieve 100% enrolment at the Elementary Stage and to provide satisfactory quality education through the various interventions under SSA.
    2. To ensure quality training teachers both pre-service and in service to raise the percentage of trained teachers to 95% at the Elementary State
    3. To raise the salary of Primary Teachers from Rs.1000- Rs.3000.
    4. Improvement of infrastructure.
    5. Step up the support to the community for implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Programme.
  1. Information Technology– In view that information Technology Industry in the state is in its nascent stage and a comprehensive study is necessary to simultaneously address the various issues involved the Board recommends the following thrust areas for the Department’s approach to the 11th Plan.

    1. To build up core Information Technology infrastructure in the state viz., State Data Centre (SDC) State Wide Area Network (SWAN) and Common Services Centre (CSC).
    2. Promote Meghalaya as a destination for Information Technology investment with focus on creastion of jobs through ICT within the State.
    3. To keep open options of Public Private Partnership (PPP).
    4. Building up of skill sets and capabilities among the youths as well as teaching institutions to create an adequate pool of employee personnel.