Raphael Warjri

Shillong, Meghalaya, October 5, 2023 - The Deputy Commissioners’ and Sub-Divisional Officers’ (Civil) Conference held at the Pinewood Hotel in Shillong concluded today, marking a significant milestone in addressing critical development challenges and charting a course towards a brighter future for Meghalaya.

The day-long event brought together key government officials, policymakers, and experts to deliberate on various aspects of governance, sustainable development, public service delivery, administrative infrastructure, and inter-departmental cooperation.

The highlight of the day was the presence of the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K Sangma. He graced the event with his arrival and addressed the officials from all the districts and departments, emphasizing the state's vision for elevating Meghalaya from ‘Better to Best’ through Meghalaya Next. Shri Sangma said, “We need to continue our good work as a team and more importantly, monitor things at the grassroot level. Technology is playing a very important role and I am sure that the targets that we have for the CM Connect, Village Data volunteers, DC Connect and the Family ID programme will fructify very soon. As we go ahead, we need your suggestions to stay prepared, in advance, for any problems, that may arise. We need to keep no stones unturned while implementing the plans and ensuring our combined efforts to make Meghalaya a $ 10 billion Economy”. Hon’ble Chief Minister also turned the officials’ attention to key schemes of the government such as the Jal Jeevan Mission, PMAY, CM Solar Mission, connectivity at the grassroots level and urged the Deputy Commissioners and Sub-Divisional Officers to monitor the projects continuously.

Dr. Vijay Kumar, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary of the Planning Department, presented the state’s vision and new initiatives for Service Delivery such as Village Data Volunteers, CM-Connect, and the Family ID program. Deputy Commissioners actively engaged in discussions and shared their feedback on the state's vision. He said, “Today, we stand at a crucial juncture in Meghalaya's journey towards progress. The Deputy Commissioners’ & SDOs’ Conference has ignited a beacon of hope, illuminating our path to a Ten-Billion Dollar Economy. We are also working on a project with the World Bank to build these growth corridors. Let us remember that as public servants, our combined efforts, dedication, and innovation will be the key to unlocking this brighter future for Meghalaya”.

The event witnessed the launch of the DC's review dashboard and the release of the SDG Report, underscoring the commitment of the Meghalaya Government to achieving sustainable development goals.

Focusing on making the Grievance Redressal System further efficient, the CM Connect programme aims to have a Single Toll-Free number for grievance redressal and improved citizen satisfaction with faster and more efficient resolution. Similarly, the Village Data Volunteers will be facilitators of Two-way conversation between the villagers and the government and single point of contact for gathering data on government schemes. To ensure seamless service delivery, Family ID will be a Unique Identifier of all Households and Individuals and DC Connect will facilitate Timely decision making on administrative matters.

The conference opened with an informative session on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), followed by insights from representatives of four districts who shared their experiences with the Catalytic Fund, highlighting the progress made and suggestions for improvement. Shri MS Rao, Chief Commissioner of the Meghalaya State Public Service Delivery Commission, provided valuable insights during his presentation on the Right to Public Service Delivery Act and its implementation.

During the second half of the event, an engaging dialogue took place among the Deputy Commissioners and Shri. Cyril V D Diengdoh, IAS, focusing on the Permanent Residential Certificate (PRC) issues, leading to successful resolutions. Furthermore, a proposal to increase the frequency of District Selection Committee (DSC) exams was also discussed.

Additionally, discussions were conducted with Dr. Vijay Kumar D, pertaining to the top 5 projects of the DCs, their associated challenges, and notable achievements and innovations. The programme concluded with a presentation on CM ELEVATE by Dr. Vijay Kumar D. The last session was also virtually attended by the BDOs.

The Deputy Commissioners’ & SDOs’ Conference in Meghalaya served as a platform for collaboration, idea exchange, and problem-solving, reflecting a unified determination to advance the state's development goals.