The document details the vision for Meghalaya for 2023-28, focusing on creating opportunities and employment for youth, as well as support to farmers and villages. It also includes a summary of key achievements titled ‘Promises delivered’ and the story of making a better Meghalaya, while the vision talks of taking Meghalaya from “better to best”.
In its manifesto, the ruling NPP has promised to create five lakh jobs in the next five years. It states, “We will create five lakh jobs and employment opportunities with special focus on tourism, agro-processing and knowledge/digital sectors; make efforts to enhance employment opportunities in rural areas to prevent the distress migration; incentivise and attract companies in the IT/ITES/BPO/KPO/digital sectors to set up businesses in Meghalaya; set up a corpus fund to support the youth engaged in creative sectors of music, film-making and fashion; continue to give high priority to entrepreneurship as means of generating jobs and employment.”
The NPP, in its manifesto, remains focused on entrepreneurship by creating PRIME hubs across all blocks and supporting entrepreneurs through the PRIME scheme. The party emphasised on building its success of being the “best startup state in India”, which can continue creating a better support system to nurture the entrepreneurs.
The document further states, “We will set up knowledge/tech cities in New Shillong and in other parts of the state to further attract investment in the private sector; we will set up/upgrade support centres in major cities of the country where our youth migrate for education/jobs; set up a youth helpline to counsel, inform and educate our youth on career, education, government programmes, substance abuse etc.”
Though a lot of promises are made to create five lakh jobs in the state, the demand for employment is high in Meghalaya. On October 28, 2022, a massive rally against the government’s failure to address the unemployment crisis in the state was held in Shillong.
Organised by the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), hundreds of activists carrying banners and flags took part in the rally, which started from Motphran and culminated with a meeting at Madan Iewrynghep, fire brigade. Several people, including mediapersons, were assaulted during the rally.
On the issue of languages and inner line permit (ILP), the NPP in its manifesto said, “Several unparalleled steps (such as the passing of a resolution in the Meghalaya legislative assembly) have been initiated to address both the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India and the issue of the ILP in Meghalaya after receiving numerous suggestions from the people.”
The party added, “In line with these steps, the NPP shall continue to engage with the Government of India for inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and for the implementation of the inner line permit in Meghalaya.”
No elaborate plan for this was, however, stated in the manifesto. The demand for an ILP in the state is not new; it became even stronger after the enactment of the Citizenship Amendment Act. A long-pending demand of the pressure groups and political parties of Meghalaya, ‘No ILP, no rest’ has reverberated across the state but has not been able to change Delhi’s mind on the issue. The Meghalaya assembly in December 2019 had adopted a resolution for implementing the ILP, which places restrictions on the entry of “outsiders” into the hill state.
The Centre has been silent on the issue and the delay in implementing the ILP has caused resentment, and hurt stakeholders as well as political parties. Since the Centre has not spoken out, the people and political leaders remain in the dark about the fate of the resolution.
Apart from this, the party also promised on the identification and utilisation 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 programmes in this area will be enhanced to include a larger pool of talent 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 second Northeast Olympic Games.
The NPP has also promised to create 1,000 Chief Minister’s Facilitation Centres to deliver government services to every village. As support to the farmers – the party has promised to continue its support to farmers through flagship programmes such as FOCUS and FOCUS+.
Connect every village with all-weather roads and RCC/Steel Bridges, development of key infrastructure and facilities, augment health sector are some of the promises made by the party.
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