FEB 15:

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today promised empowering tribal governing bodies and improving women’s representation in decision- making bodies in poll- bound “ matrilineal” Meghalaya.

“ We will empower self governing bodies and work for greater say of women in administrative decision making as we believe that this will help Meghalaya to get more benefits from the Central schemes being implemented in the state,” Dr Singh said, while addressing a small gathering of party supporters and party officials at the Polo grounds here.

The public meeting today which was expected to be attended by a thousand of supporters from across city and other parts of the state turned out to be just the other way.

Sources said that the Congress has arranged for more than 10,000 chairs at the venue. However, the crowd attending the meeting was not less more 4,000 leaving most of the chairs unoccupied.

Urging the people to vote for the Congress in the upcoming election, the Prime Minister said, “ The party’s manifesto has a progressive and inclusive agenda for the state,” pledging that the party will work for all communities and all sections of society including the socially and economically backwards.

Highlighting the achievements of the Congress- led Meghalaya United Alliance ( MUA) in Meghalaya and United Progressive Alliance ( UPA) at the Centre, Dr Singh said, “ The UPA has been able to achieve faster reduction in poverty than ever before.

The rate at which the percentage of the poor people declined since 2004 is about two and a half times that of the previous decade.” Acknowledging that connectivity is a critical requirement for Meghalaya, the Prime Minister said the Shillong- Guwahati, Shillong- Tura and Shillong Silchar roads is being widened with two bye- passes in Shillong and Jowai, the progress of which are good and likely to be completed in the first quarter of 2014.

He said, “ Meghalaya is one of the fastest growing states not only in the North Eastern region but across the country.”

Congratulating the Congress rule in Meghalaya, he said the party provided “ an honest, transparent and effective administration which took care of the poor and the underprivileged.” While Meghalaya’s economic growth doubled to Rs 4000 crore in the last three years projecting the state at a faster growth rate than targeted in the 11th Plan, the Prime Minister said the state “ utilized well the resources made available to it under the flagship programmes of the Centre.”

Stating that the Government provides hot meals in schools to as many as 11 crore children and being the largest scheme of its kind in the world, Dr Singh complimented the state government for controlling the drop- out rates and said the program resulted in “ near universal” education at the primary levels.

The Prime Minister also listed several developmental programmes in horticulture, agriculture, power and tourism as achievements of Meghalaya under the Congressruled government.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma while urging the voters to vote for the party said the Congress government- initiated projects and programmes made impact on the lives of people in rural areas while the party responded to their aspirations through its schemes.

Earlier, party state president and former chief minister D D Lapang appealed to the Prime Minister to ensure security to students from Meghalaya and from the region in general in their study and work place all over the country.

source:http://mg.glpublications.in/