Shillong, Jan 21: Meghalaya on Friday celebrated its 50th Statehood anniversary in a sombre manner as COVID-19 restrictions ensured that the pomp and gaiety was kept to a minimum. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma also could not attend the official function physically due to sore throat, hence, he spoke to the gathering via video conference.

HCM @SangmaConrad sings the National Anthem as he joins in the #MeghalayaAt50 celebrations remotely.

Meghalaya is proud to be a part of India & on its 50th Statehood year, may each of us commit to contribute towards the growth of our nation.
Jai Hind🇮🇳#meghalayaday pic.twitter.com/QHgVZWD6jv

— CMO Meghalaya (@CMO_Meghalaya) January 21, 2022

Chief Minister of #Meghalaya Shri @SangmaConrad sets an example by joining the celebrations virtually on developing cold and thereby following the existing protocol in the State.

Shri Sangma urges the people to follow the #COVID19 protocols, get vaccinated and #StaySafe pic.twitter.com/9g2X4NRvYt

— PIB In Meghalaya (@PIBShillong) January 21, 2022

Lauding the people for making a mark on the national and global stage in these 50 years, he also recalled the contributions of founding fathers of the State, such as Captain Williamson Sangma, D.D. Pugh, B.B. Lyngdoh and all the other leaders of the Hill State Movement.

While the state has made considerable progress on many sectors over the 5 decades, he urged the citizens of the state to take inspiration and contribute to the State’s advancement and achieve sustainable development and well-being of the 38 lakhs Meghalayans.

“In the year 2020, as we started the new decade, I made a promise that we will make our State top 10 in 10 and that we will make this decade the Meghalayan decade. My government and I have been working systematically to achieve this goal over the last four years. Despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic, we have been able to build roads, provide tapped water supply to households, increase children’s immunization, decrease maternal and infant mortality, and build infrastructure at an unprecedented pace,” he said.

With the aim of becoming one of the top 10 States in the country by 2030, he named some iconic infrastructure projects that will be completed soon as well slew of new projects to be taken up in the coming months as part of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations. About 300 projects relating to roads, schools, tourism, healthcare, agriculture and sports will be inaugurated throughout the year. This means that, on average, one project will be inaugurated everyday as part of these celebrations.

Iconic infrastructure projects to be completed soon

– The State Assembly building at Mawdiangdiang is close to completion and will be inaugurated within the next six months.

– The Shillong International Centre for Performing Arts will also be ready in next 6 months, which will enable the state to host international level music festivals and events.

– The Ganol Hydro Power project in West Garo Hills shall also be completed this year.

– Two five- star hotels – the Marriott and the Crowborough- will be operationalized this year. This will create an additional 300 high-quality rooms in the city and transform the tourism sector. The Crowborough project in particular was started in 1986 and has been under construction since then.

– The construction of the PA Sangma football Stadium in Tura, the Wahaijer Stadium in West Jaintia Hills and the comprehensive upgradation of the JN Stadium in Shillong will all be completed in 2022. These infrastructures will be help the state host national and international sporting events.

– The IT park will be inaugurated in a few days. This will herald the beginning of setting up of BPO and IT businesses in the State. It will provide employment to almost 1,500 youth within the next few months.

– The Mairang Ranigodown Azra road, the Rongram Phulbari Hill road, the Dawki Bholaganj road, the Bajengdoba – Resubelpara Mendipathar – Damra road and the Pasiyah Garampani road will be completed this year.

– Water supply projects at Baghmara and Nongstoin will also be dedicated to the people of the State this year.

– The Shillong Government College of Engineering and the College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tura will be made operational this year.

New projects to be launched

– The most important project of all, for which the foundation will be laid on Friday, is the new administrative city at Mawpadang in the New Shillong township. The city will be developed over the next decade into a futuristic smart city which will drive the growth of the State.

– Large road projects like the Umsning- Jagi Road and the Nongstoin -Maweit road will also be initiated.

– Construction of internal roads in the towns of Tura, Williamnagar, Jowai and Nongstoin will be started.

– The iconic Shillong peak ropeway project and world class indoor stadium in the fifth ground of the JN complex here at Polo will also be started this year.

– Construction of a world class convention centre and an inspiring incubation centre cum skills park for the youth will be started at Tura.

– Work on construction of modern district office complexes, block office complexes, police stations, entrepreneurship hubs and about 20 tourism resorts and complexes will begin.

– An additional 310 schools and 150 health facilities at the grassroots will be upgraded.