Shillong, May 27 (IANS) Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said that Meghalaya was one of the poorest states in the country, and the present government has been working to make it a developed state.

Addressing the gathering of 2000 people in Dolwaregre in East Garo Hills, the Chief Minister said that, “Meghalaya is among the poorest states, and though challenges remain, we are committed to progress.”

Emphasising the need for clear targets, Sangma stressed that the government was working with focus but needed collective societal effort, adding, “As a community, we must work together to transform our state.”

Sangma commended the Anganwadi workers for their hard work in social welfare, particularly in providing nutrition and healthcare to ensure children grow into responsible citizens.

The Chief Minister also handed over smartphones to Anganwadi workers at a program held at St George Higher Secondary School in Samanda, East Garo Hills. The event was attended by Anganwadi workers from various parts of East Garo Hills, who received the smartphones.

Social Welfare Minister Paul Lyngdoh and PHE Minister Marcuise Marak were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said the smartphones would enhance the performance and services of Anganwadi workers.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development had funded Rs 6 crore for the purchase of 6,162 smartphones for the workers, supporting them in their critical roles.

“The phones will bridge the digital divide and improve service delivery,” he said.

The Chief Minister informed that the POSHAN App had been installed on the smartphones, which the Anganwadi workers would use to record data and information and perform other reporting tasks, ensuring better monitoring and implementation of social welfare schemes.

The mobile application digitises the physical registers used by Anganwadi workers, improving the quality of their work while enabling real-time monitoring.

He also informed that Anganwadi workers would be incentivised for regularly monitoring the growth of children up to six years old by measuring their height and weight and uploading the data to the POSHAN Tracker.

During the program, the Chief Minister also distributed IIT Innovation ECO H2O Filters to Anganwadi centres, aiming to provide safe drinking water to children in rural communities.

He also inaugurated the new building of St George Higher Secondary School, Samanda, dedicating it to the students and expressing hope that it would inspire learning, creativity, and growth.

–IANS

tdr/dan