Shillong(Meghalaya),March 4 : Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, today, inaugurated the Academic Block and the Girls’ & Boys’ Hostel of Captain Williamson Sangma Government College in a function that was held at the college premises in the presence of Minister, Education, Rakkam A Sangma, MLA, Baghmara, Kartush R Marak, MLA, Amlarem & Chief Advisor to the Government, Lakhmen Rymbui and Chief Secretary, D P Wahlang.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, paying homage to Late P A Sangma, on his eight death anniversary said, “It was with a vision and belief that Late P A Sangma had that to take the State forward education has to be prioritized that he laid the foundation for this college in 2008 and it is only befitting that on this day the project that he had conceived in 2008 is moving in the right direction and we are able to inaugurate this infrastructure for higher education for the youth and the people of South Garo Hills.” He also expressed gratitude to the former Minister, Education, in the previous government and the team then for having initiated the process of transformations in the Education sector. He further said that the goals and visions that were set by the Education department five years ago is being successfully taken forward even in the present times. “I am sure that the education sector will see huge transformations in the coming days under the able leadership of our present Minister,” he added.
He also said that youth is a valuable asset but the right platform, opportunities and direction needs to be given to harness the energy, talent and skill of the youth. He informed that education is always the top priority of the government and hence the government has in 2024 increased the budget allocation for Education from 27 crores to 350 crores . He also said that the government has earmarked 3000 crores for youth centric expenditure.
The Chief Minister further said that he had visited and inspected Baghmara College in 2019 and found the building to be unsafe for the students besides it being old and rundown.”It gives me immense pleasure that within five years we are able to provide this new infrastructure to the youth and people of Baghmara,” he said and added that the Cabinet will soon pass the proposal for Science and Commerce streams in Sohra, Williamnagar and Baghmara colleges.
He also informed the gathering of the developmental programs and policies for South Garo Hills the chief among them bring project for the Baghmara Civil Hospital. “A amount of 15 crores is being sanctioned by DoNER to create 150 additional beds in Baghmara Civil Hospital and an additional amount of 5 crores is being sanctioned by the state government for the building of staff quarters for doctors and nurses,” he announced. He also outlined the reforms and the infrastructural improvements and developments that are being made in the education sector.
In conclusion, the CM urged the teachers and students to collectively take the responsibility of making the college into a center of excellence. “Let this college be a place where great minds meet, discuss and bring out ideas to bring pride to yourselves, the district and the State,” he said.
Earlier, Minister, Education, Rakkam A Sangma, said it is a red-letter day for Baghmara and South Garo Hills as a whole. He recalled the establishment of the college and its progress since then.
The Captain Williamson Memorial Government College through State Sanction is a beneficiary of grants for upgrading the college to Provincialized College. Captain Williamson Memorial Government College, established in 1994 was provincialized by the Government of Meghalaya in 2008. The upgradation of Captain Williamson Memorial Government College under Provincialized College accorded administrative approval for a sanction amount of 10.80 Crores. The motive of the project, in line with the recommendations of NEP 2020 is to provide access to multidisciplinary education and improve GER in higher education in the district, by creating new academic block.
