Shillong, February 26 – Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma rejected opposition claims on Thursday that the state’s employment policies have failed, asserting that several government initiatives are creating jobs and providing livelihood opportunities for the youth.
Responding to concerns raised by Trinamool Congress MLA Mizanur Kazi during a discussion in the Assembly, the Chief Minister said it would be misleading to term the government’s employment strategy as unsuccessful, noting that unemployment figures vary across surveys and must be viewed in context.
Citing official data, Sangma said the Periodic Labour Force Survey recorded Meghalaya’s unemployment rate at 6.0 per cent in 2022-23 and 6.2 per cent in 2023-24, while estimates by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) placed it significantly lower at 3.1 per cent.
He added that nearly 3.66 lakh jobs have been generated in recent years through various schemes and interventions.
The Chief Minister emphasized that Meghalaya’s young demographic profile presents unique challenges, with nearly 50 per cent of the population below the age of 20.
“Employment generation is an ongoing process. While we may not have fully achieved our objectives yet, we are moving in the right direction,” he told the House.
Highlighting flagship programmes, Sangma said the FOCUS scheme has sanctioned Rs 140 crore to 22,500 producer groups, benefiting around 2.1 lakh people, while the FOCUS+ initiative has reached an additional 1.5 lakh beneficiaries.
He also pointed to the strong response to the CM-Elevate programme, which received over 22,000 applications within 20 days, prompting the government to temporarily close the portal.
During the debate, the Chief Minister addressed concerns over mandatory Khasi and Garo language proficiency for certain public sector posts.
He clarified that the requirement was limited to basic communication skills and not academic mastery, stressing that language familiarity is essential for effective service delivery.
Sangma further announced that the government has decided to introduce Khasi and Garo teaching at the primary school level, with textbooks already being prepared.
On administrative reforms, he said employment exchanges are being digitized, and the CM-Connect platform is strengthening grievance redressal and monitoring of government schemes.
“I assure the House that these programmes will have an even greater impact in the coming days,” the Chief Minister said.