Meghalaya on an 'aggressive mission' to develop villages

SHILLONG: Concerned about the unabated migration of people from rural to urban areas, the state government has decided to go on an "aggressive mission" to develop villages and make them self-sufficient.

"The migration problem needs to be addressed immediately as it only contributes towards unregulated urban growth, which over burdens the urban areas," said chief minister Mukul Sangma, who laid the foundation stone of a housing project under the Integrated Slum Development Programme (ISDP) and Basic Service for Urban Poor (BSUP), a component of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) at Lower Mawprem here on Saturday.

He said that the state government has geared up to tackle the problem on a "mission mode" by developing the rural areas and creating sustained employment opportunities in the rural areas.

The Centre has sanctioned an amount of Rs 21.30 crores for the ISDP project that covers Mawbah, Lower Mawprem, Pynthorumkhrah, Demseiniong and Kynjat Phutbol slums in Shillong. The scheme is being implemented by the Hindustan Prefab Limited (HPL).

"The housing project at Lower Mawprem will consist of 48 dwelling units in an area of 9900 sq ft. The infrastructure is estimated to cost Rs 1.77 crores. On completion of the project, the beneficiaries indentified from the locality will be rehabilitated in the dwelling units," an official said.

"The BSUP under JNNURM has been launched as a flagship programme of the Central Government with the objective of coping with the massive problems posed by rapid urban growth resulting in the growth of slums with deficiencies in basic amenities like housing, water supply, solid waste management and sanitation," said the CM.