Shillong, Mar 4 : Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday said the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA)- led government is making concerted efforts to improve the standards of living of the people thorough better governance. “It is our responsibility to make collective efforts and strive towards Socio-economic development and progress in all spheres,” Malik told members of 60-member House in his customary address, marking the start of the budget session. Malik said the government was particularly focused on enhancing the service delivery in health and education sectors and making larger investments in physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power and drinking water. He said another critical focus is on improving rural livelihoods and promoting enterprises through mission mode interventions in the sectors of agriculture, horticultre, fisheries and animal husbandry. Stating that the government is committed to achieve the ted Nations Sustainable Development Goals agenda 2030, the Governor said the government has initiated a process of ranking the districts based on the SDG scores and preparing a district level SDG action plan to identify the priority areas of improvement and release of catalytic fund to the Deputy Commissioners for undertaking measures to improve SDG performance. While emphasising on improving the standards of education by focusing on improvement of infrastructure, Malik informed that 200 Elementary schools and eight Secondary schools will getnew infrastructure and another 100 Elementary schools and 11 Secondary schools would be upgraded. Moreover, he announced setting up of nine Peoples College in the rural areas and three new Polytechnic are being initiated at Ri-Bhoi, West Khasi Hills and South Garo Hills districts. The construction of the first technical versity of the state, the Captain Williamson Sangma Technical versity is being constructed and 90 percent of the work is completed, while the construction of the Polytechnic at Williamnagar is nearing its completion, he informed the House. Touching upon the progress being made in the Public Works Department, the Governor said the state has a total length of 11,442 km of different categories of roads, adding the state government attaches priority in upgrading village connectivity. Malik said several power projects are also being constructed and one of these projects, the Ganol Hydro Electric project, is likely to be commissioned this year. On rural development, Malik informed the House that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 318 lakh person days have been generated during 2021-22, which is 85 percent of the total approved labour budget of 375 lakh person days. Mentioning about the poverty alleviation programme in the rural sector, Malik said, different schemes are being implemented particularly organizing Self Help Groups (SHG) for women and in 2021-22, 4055 SHGs and 758 Village Organization have been formed. In the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare sector, the Governor said the State government has taken several initiatives particularly improving the economy of the farmers through the implementation of the state’s flagship programme FOCUS. Under the programme the government provides Rs. 5000 to each farming household and so far 5400 Producers Groups of farmers comprising 72000 households have been formed. Several mission mode programmes have been launched and under the Mission Lakadong the state has targeted to produce 50000 metric ton from 6070 hectare of cultivated land in five years from 2018-23, the Governor added. RRK BM