Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday said his government’s priority areas are the issues related to the welfare of the youth and assured that a youth policy would be formulated soon in the State.
While addressing the gathering at the inaugural function of the International Inter-disciplinary Seminar on ‘Human resource development in South Asia: Capabilities, challenges and prospects’ at Synod College on Friday, Conrad said his government has come to governance with a positive ‘mind-set about youth, entrepreneurship, education and border trade’.
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While highlighting that the younger generation is a great human resource in the region, Conrad assured to involve the youth in all aspects of development and governance.
The Chief Minister, however, lamented that the State does not have an education policy even after 47 years of statehood.
Conrad further informed the present audience that as many as 50 per cent of the primary schools in the State do not have buildings, while about 70 to 80 per cent of the primary schools do not have access to water supply and electricity.
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“Almost about 80 per cent of teachers engaged in primary schools across the State are untrained and there are about 1,100 posts of teachers lying vacant in primary schools in the State,” he added.
While speaking on development through entrepreneurship, Conrad stressed on the need to create the right environment, policy and infrastructure.
He said, the government should act as the facilitator and should not ‘engage in business’.
Conrad further said his government will strive towards creating an environment for entrepreneurship and is committed to take up slew of measures this year itself to ensure that entrepreneurship takes centre-stage towards overall development of the State.
Highlighting the fact that Meghalaya shares international borders with neighbouring countries, Conrad said as ‘we cannot choose our neighbours’, we have to work ‘hand in hand’.
He added that it is the government’s obligation to come up with proper policies to ensure that youth, people of the state as well as across the border, get the opportunity to have trade and business and boost the economy of both the sectors.