Shillong, Aug 26:The second cabinet retreat, convened here, reaffirmed the state’s commitment to collaborative governance, citizen welfare, and strategic development.
The event, chaired by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, brought together cabinet ministers and senior officials of different departments to review progress, deliberate on outcomes, and set an ambitious roadmap for the future of the state.
At the inaugural session, Conrad addressed the assemblage of cabinet ministers, senior officials, and grassroots implementers, reflecting on the first cabinet retreat held in Sohra. He explained that feedback from officials revealed how busy schedules limited meaningful exchanges, prompting him to include a wider group in future retreats. “We’re always in meetings, too busy to share inputs,” he said. “That’s when I realized we need to take it deeper, meeting like this with all of you.”
The chief minister emphasised that Meghalaya might be the only state in India holding such programmes, uniting political leaders, senior bureaucrats, and grassroots workers. He outlined his goals, starting with aligning everyone with the state’s vision. He stressed ensuring that the vision of the government can reach the people at the last mile in the state. He further focused on the necessity for the goals of every department to be consistent with the overall vision of the government.
He stressed the importance of interdepartmental coordination and urged collaboration for greater impact.
The retreat began with context-setting by the Department of Planning, Investment Promotion and Sustainable Development, who presented the Action Taken Report on the resolutions of the 1st cabinet retreat. The department stressed the vision to serve a bigger strategy- it is now all about owning the vision.
Notably, the previous cabinet retreat outlined 107 action plans, with 27 closed, 72 in progress, and the remainder set for review within 2–3 months. The Meghalaya One online portal, with over 7,000 users, features a dedicated dashboard for issue tracking, with tasks assigned to nodal officers. This digital transformation positions Meghalaya as one of India’s most digitally enabled states.
The retreat focused on DC CONNECT and key performance Indicators (KPIs), which reinforces Meghalaya’s commitment to data-driven governance and interdepartmental synergy, ensuring that development initiatives are both impactful and inclusive, aligning with the state’s ambitious economic and social goals. The finalisation and concretization of KPIs for Mission 10 as a way forward.
Chief Secretary Donald Philips Wahlang, Chief Secretary, in his address, referred to the event as the “only forum in the country” in which, in one room, right from the Chief Minister to the BDOs, who are the eyes and the ears of the government, are all sitting together. He urged that this practice be continued often.
Additionally, Sangma informed that the academic sessions for Shillong Medical College will start from October 2025, and the state government is awaiting approval from the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The chief minister urged all officers to leverage CM CONNECT to identify and address potential issues effectively. Village Data Volunteers (VDVs) play a key role in streamlining public grievance redressal, enhancing service delivery, and fostering community engagement. The CM CONNECT program, integrated into the Meghalaya One portal, facilitates public hearings and grievance registration across seven blocks, supported by a toll-free helpline number, 1971.
During the technical sessions, the chief minister iterated that investment in youth for a better future in terms of employment generation, with initiatives such as CM Elevate, PRIME. Regarding education, Conrad noted that Classes 1 and 2 should also have play-based pedagogy similar to the Anganwadi centres.
The chief minister stressed that the development of infrastructure for youth in sports, education, and employment is important, as it will cater to the youth who will grow up in the next 10 years, and they will require these services.
During one of the sessions, the chief minister, alongside cabinet ministers, launched the HDLP Joint Field Visit Guide. The Department of Social Welfare introduced the Human Development Leadership Programme (HDLP), an empathetic government initiative. Every week, block teams comprising members from the Health, Social Welfare, Education, and Community & Rural Development departments are conducting these visits in synergy.
The technical sessions were held, which focus on thematic priorities with suggestions to better improve and enhance, which included:
• Caring and Empowering State: Departments of Social Welfare, Health & Family Welfare, Community & Rural Development, and Education showcased their joint efforts in nutrition, early childhood development, and holistic life planning.
• Affordable and Quality Healthcare: The Department of Health & Family Welfare outlined steps to enhance access and quality through recent reforms.
• Priority SDGs: The Planning and Sustainable Development Department assessed the State’s progress on priority SDGs and convergence strategies.
• Finance & Planning: Finance and Planning Departments addressed scheme approvals, liability management, and sanctioning processes.
• HR & Governance: Personnel and Administrative Reforms were discussed, focusing on talent acquisition, contractual employee regularization, capacity building, and training.
• Citizen Services & Welfare Programs: New measures to improve service delivery and welfare access were presented by Planning, Investment Promotion, and Sustainable Development.
• Roads & Connectivity, Housing for All: The Public Works and IT Departments, along with Housing and Urban Affairs, reported strong interdepartmental progress on rural connectivity, digital infrastructure, and affordable housing schemes.
Besides the chief minister, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, cabinet ministers AT Mondal, Ampareen Lyngdoh, Paul Lyngdoh, AL Hek, Shakliar Warjri, Comingone Ymbon, and Kyrmen Shylla were present.
