Developmental activities in Garo hills

The Government is committed to overall development of the North Eastern Region (NER) including Garo hills region in the State of Meghalaya. Out of total 11 districts in Meghalaya, 5 districts fall under Garo hills region.  In Garo hills regions, 13 projects are under implementation for construction/widening/reconstruction of roads/bridges for 133.8 km length.

Two flagship schemes of Government namely Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) and Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana-Saubhagya are being implemented across the country for various rural electrification works and electrification of the remaining un-electrified households in rural and urban areas, including NER and State of Meghalaya. All the inhabited census villages and households of Garo hills have been electrified. Under North Eastern Region Power System Improvement Project (NERPSIP) scheme, 14 power projects are under implementation in Garo hills.

Further, 46 different projects relating to Roads, Power, Irrigation, Industry, Medical & Health, Sports, Science & Technology, etc. are in progress in five districts of Garo Hills.  Garo hills is the only region in Meghalaya which comes under the railway map by way of Mendipathar – Dudhnoi railway line.  Under Comprehensive Telecom Development Plan, 389 towers covering 534 uncovered villages have been approved in three districts of Garo Hills for provision of 4G mobile services.  Under Prime Minister Kaushal Vikas Yojana, so far 20,151 persons have been given training for employment.

Various developmental measures taken up by State Government under Central Sector Scheme/Centrally Sponsored Schemes/State Schemes include construction of first state run Medical College at Tura in West Garo Hills District, sanction of a Tribal Research Institute at Babadam, West Garo Hills, approval for setting up of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in six Community & Rural Development Blocks of the Garo Hills Region and construction of 36 Anganwadi Centre Buildings (AWCs).  Jal Jeevan Mission- Har Ghar Jal (JJM) is being implemented which aims at providing water through tap water connection to every rural household by 2024.  Under JJM, 31% of the households in Garo Hills region have been provided with functional household tap connection till January, 2021.

Human Development Index (HDI) was prepared by Government of Meghalaya in 2008 with the assistance of United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and the then Planning Commission. The district-wise ranking of the then 7 districts, was as below:-

Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is getting a district-wise Sustainable Development Goal Index prepared for all the districts of NER through NITI Aayog in technical collaboration with UNDP.

This information was provided by the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh in written reply to  questions in  Rajya  Sabha today.