Shillong, July 1 : Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said true governance is measured by its impact on people’s lives, as he justified the state’s decision to write off up to ₹1,000 crore in dues under the One-Time Settlement scheme for commercial vehicles.
Addressing a felicitation programme organised by the Joint Action Committee, Sangma called the waiver a difficult but necessary call. The move directly benefits nearly 16,000 truckers and about two lakh people tied to the transport sector. “That revenue could have been used elsewhere. But we realised these families were directly affected. We made this decision keeping them in mind,” he said.
The Chief Minister, along with Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Snaiwbhalang Dhar, was honoured for implementing the scheme. Sangma said politicians are often labelled villains when expectations fall short, yet rarely get credit when problems are solved. “When solutions are delivered, very rarely are those efforts acknowledged. That is why this felicitation means a lot to us,” he told the gathering.
Rejecting claims that the government focuses only on big-ticket projects, Sangma stressed that development isn’t just about roads and stadiums. “For us, development must go hand-in-hand with improving the lives of ordinary citizens. Every decision must translate into real impact,” he said.
He credited Tynsong for pushing the transport community’s concerns and said big infrastructure sends a message that Meghalaya is ready, but real success lies in how initiatives improve everyday life.
Sangma urged stakeholders to maintain financial discipline to avoid future backlogs and assured that the government will keep refining systems. “We are not perfect, but we are committed to learning, improving, and keeping people at the centre of every decision,” he said.
