Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today launched the Chief Minister's Wedding Assistance Scheme for orphan girls and another scheme for single mothers, disabled women and the infirm aimed at uplifting their social life.
The Wedding Assistance Scheme for poor orphan girls above 18 years was being implemented by the social welfare department and was available in district offices as well as Child Development Project offices in all blocks.
The Chief Minister also simultaneously inaugurated a Children's Home for girls located in Tetengkol and laid foundation stones for construction of a Tribal Girls' Hostel under Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and a Hajong Boys' Hostel and Koch Boys' Hostel at Tura.
The Children's Home would be run by Women's Economic Development Society (WEDS), a Church-based NGO in partnership with the state government.
Expressing satisfaction for personally handing over the benefit of the scheme to the poor and orphan girls, Mukul said deserving people would benefit from the schemes.
It was found that many deserving persons didn't avail the benefits under the CM's Social Assistance Scheme for the Infirm, Single Mothers and Persons with Disabilities launched in 2012, the Chief Minister said adding, the enrolment drive, which was underway, would stand testimony that the government was with them.
The Chief Minister said that most rural areas do not have institutions for higher studies, so parents send their children to district headquarters for higher education, but when they don't have hostels to stay it becomes a problem for them.
The government has decided to have hostels in every district headquarter and partner with interested NGOs to manage them, he said.
"When the government runs hostels, only the educational/administrative aspect is taken care of, other aspects of nurturing the students - moral and spiritual - are neglected. That is why the government is looking to partner with the church and social organisations," he said.
Expressing dismay over poor service delivered by government-run institutions and hospitals, the Chief Minister said the government was re-strategising its approach to development.
The government has decided to pass new laws in the coming Assembly like Service Delivery Act and Social Policy Act. Under these, concurrent assessment of every developmental programme will be done, he said.
Calling upon social organisations to come forward and partner with the government in managing hostels, schools and hospitals, the Chief Minister said that social sector would never thrive unless the society came and worked together.
