Briefing reporters today after a three-hour meeting of the state-level monitoring committee on the programme, Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma said the meeting had been held after nine years.
The committee last met on July 18, 2001.
“We have reviewed the implementation of the Twenty Point Programme and identified the areas for improvement,” Sangma said.
Identifying an area of improvement, Sangma said the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in the state was tardy.
While other states have implemented phase 9 of the flagship programme, Meghalaya was still in phase 5, Sangma said.
On eradication of poverty, Sangma said the state government has directed the community and rural department to conduct a fresh survey of BPL families and that the figures are expected to be released next year.
According to the BPL census prepared by the community and rural department in 2002, there were 2,05,234 families (48.9 per cent) living below the poverty line.
From among the districts, East Garo Hills topped the list with 28,192 households (55.94 per cent).
Last year, the state government had asked the department to conduct a fresh survey of BPL families after there were serious allegations of manipulation in various villages.
Sangma added that the state had the potential to perform better and there should not be any room for complacency.
“We will not be complacent but will work hard to ensure that we reach higher levels of excellence,” the chief minister said.
The programme is a selection of plan schemes and is encompassed within the Annual Plan and Five Year Plan of the States/Union Territories and central ministries. It allows for the formulation of a 20-point programme for the Centre and each of the States/Union Territories based on the approved Annual Plan.
The state governments and Union territories implemented the programme since 1986 and it was restructured in April 2007.