The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) in Meghalaya released its “People’s Document – Vision 2023-28” and assured to create 5 lakh jobs and employment opportunities for the youth if voted back to power in Meghalaya.
The election manifesto was released by the NPP national president Conrad Sangma at a meeting held at Jowai in West Jaintia Hills district on February 3.
The people’s document also highlighted the focus of the party to support farmers and villages.
It also includes a summary of the key achievements titled as ‘promises delivered’ and the story of making a better Meghalaya, while the vision details of taking Meghalaya from “better to best”.
Present on the occasion were deputy chief minister and Pynursla MLA Prestone Tynsong, cabinet minister and Nartiang MLA Sniawbhalang Dhar, Raliang MLA Comingone Ymbon, Jowai MLA Wailadmiki Shylla, NPP’s East Shillong candidate Ampareen Lyngdoh among other top leaders of the party.
While the document only lists key interventions, the National People’s Party has drafted a year-by-year detailed roadmap to realize the vision and not just mere promises for publicity purposes.
The NPP said its vision is inclusive, realistic and futuristic to address the needs of various sections of Meghalaya.
The document encapsulates “the idea that the party has achieved several milestones in the past five years in serving the citizens of the state that lays a strong foundation upon which the vision has been built to create a better society for all the citizens”.
The NPP said it calls this document as people’s document as it lists out the detailed interventions targeted towards each and every citizen of Meghalaya – a roadmap of “Better to Best Meghalaya”.
The people’s document said that NPP’s vision is to create 5 lakh jobs and employment opportunities for the youth.
A special focus on entrepreneurship, tourism, agro-processing and knowledge or digital sectors in both the urban and rural areas of the state has been laid down. Skilling of youth has been planned through the creation of multi-sectoral skill parks, exposure trips and livelihood sectors.
The NPP also said it remains focused on entrepreneurship by creating PRIME hubs across all blocks and supporting entrepreneurs through the PRIME scheme. The NPP emphasizes on building upon its success of being the “Best Startup State in India” and continues creating a better support system to nurture the entrepreneurs, it further said.
NPP for Jaiñtia Hills in 2023!
The show of collective strength of the NPP at the General Election Meeting in Jowai as we stood with 7 of our candidates from Jaiñtia Hills who will ensure victory of the NPP in 2023. We are determined to continue our mission for Jaiñtia Hills. pic.twitter.com/6hKFiT7ecp
— Conrad K Sangma (@SangmaConrad) February 3, 2023
The party has assured to continue to engage with the Government of India for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India and for the implementation of the inner line permit (ILP) in Meghalaya, resolutions of which had already been passed in the assembly.
Stating that the NPP had taken steps towards the resolution of the long-standing border dispute between Meghalaya and Assam, the document said the party would also continue working towards arriving at a workable agreement on the Meghalaya-Assam border issue by engaging with all concerned stakeholders.
The party has also assured to protect the livelihoods of those engaged in the mining sector by promoting scientific and sustainable mining. It said that the government led by NPP had managed to get a favourable judgement from the Supreme Court upholding the rights of tribal people over land and minerals and that prospecting licenses were allotted to 17 applicants.
The NPP further assured to maintain peace and harmony in the state of Meghalaya by ensuring there are increased investments to modernize police infrastructure, strengthen cyber security capabilities and set up female police stations in all districts.
The government had in the past five years created 4 new civil sub-divisions, 9 C&RD blocks, 3 new police stations, 8 new border outposts and 7 police outposts, it added.
The document said that the party is also committed to fast-track discussions with militant groups within the constitutional framework for workable solutions.
According to the party, groups have expressed willingness for unconditional dialogues with the government.
Extending support to the youth, the party said that it would also focus on the identification and utilization of the abundant sporting potential of the state by providing world-class sports facilities at the grassroots level including stadiums, training, talent identification and scholarships. The existing programs in this area would be enhanced to include a larger pool of talents and increased support to them. The NPP’s vision in the sports sector is holistic, from grassroots infrastructure to supporting sporting talents and hosting of national-level sporting events successfully like the 2nd Northeast Olympic Games, it further added.
