Photo Courtesy: nenews
Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma opened a 50-bed annex at the District Maternity and Child Hospital in Tura this Monday. The expansion lifts the facility to 150 beds total. It also introduces the first public Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the Garo Hills.
The expansion aims to cut overcrowding and bolster care for mothers and children. Officials including Additional Chief Secretary Sampath Kumar and West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vibhor Aggarwal attended the event. Sangma handed out Mother and Child Care Kits to patients on-site.
The state has prioritized social spending since 2018. Health, education, and social welfare now take up one-fourth of the total state budget. Sangma emphasized that progress requires long-term commitment. "Development is not only about spending funds but ensuring that expenditure translates into measurable outcomes," he said.
Meghalaya claims a 55 percent drop in maternal mortality, the best rate in India. Even so, the Chief Minister urged staff to keep working toward a zero-death goal. He noted that the state's Mother and Child Health Model gained national attention and will be presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
More projects are coming via the PM-DevINE scheme. Sampath Kumar said the government wants to reach single-digit figures for both the Maternal Mortality Ratio and Infant Mortality Rate. He credited these gains to better grassroots services and improved use of emergency referral vehicles.
Updated at 21st September 2026 at 10:05pm
The expanded site includes an upgraded Special Newborn Care Unit, a dedicated oxygen plant, and new quarters for medical specialists. These additions aim to keep quality treatment closer to home for families across the region.
Sangma pegged the state's drop in maternal deaths over the last five years at 137, falling from 244 to 107. The hospital now anchors the state's Mission 1000 Days project, a health initiative covering the period from pregnancy through a child's second birthday.
The Chief Minister characterized health and education as sticky subjects, noting that investments in these areas typically take five to 10 years to show results. Dr. P. Chyne, Director of Health Services, also formally acknowledged the administration's support during the opening ceremony.
Updated at 22nd September 2026 at 10:02am
The expanded site includes an upgraded Special Newborn Care Unit, a dedicated oxygen plant, and new quarters for medical specialists. These additions aim to keep quality treatment closer to home for families across the region.
Sangma pegged the state's drop in maternal deaths over the last five years at 137, falling from 244 to 107. The hospital now anchors the state's Mission 1000 Days project, a health initiative covering the period from pregnancy through a child's second birthday.
The Chief Minister characterized health and education as sticky subjects, noting that investments in these areas typically take five to 10 years to show results. Dr. P. Chyne, Director of Health Services, also formally acknowledged the administration's support during the opening ceremony.
Updated at 22nd September 2026 at 1:50pm
Beyond the hospital expansion, Sangma pushed forward the Drug Reduction, Elimination and Action Mission. He opened the SEWA Inland-DREAM Rehabilitation Centre at Ballongre-Gambagre on Tuesday and released standard operating procedures to regulate how such facilities operate across the state. The mission, born in 2023, coordinates police, health, and social welfare agencies to combat substance abuse.
During his Tura visit, the Chief Minister also cut checks from the Chief Minister's Special Development Fund. These grants went to a mix of youth groups, women's collectives, entrepreneurs, and local schools. Sangma wrapped up the trip by meeting with regional residents to hear complaints and demands regarding community development.
Updated at 22nd September 2026 at 5:51pm
The hospital expansion includes a dedicated oxygen plant and new living quarters for medical specialists to keep staff on-site. The facility now serves as the anchor for the state's Mission 1000 Days, which tracks child health and nutrition from the womb through the first two years of life.
Sangma also hit the ground in Ballongre-Gambagre to open the SEWA Inland-DREAM Rehabilitation Centre. He released standard operating procedures to govern how these facilities function statewide. These rules stem from a committee formed in January 2026 to ensure uniform care standards for residents struggling with addiction.
Updated at 22nd September 2026 at 9:45pm
Sangma also pivoted to the state's agriculture sector, greenlighting a Rs 28.6 crore payout to 114,400 farming households under the FOCUS+ scheme. The cash injection provides each family with Rs 5,000 annually to cover production costs like seeds and equipment. While the state aims to scale the program to cover up to 300,000 households, the Garo Hills region remains the primary focus, currently housing nearly 77 percent of the beneficiaries.
To secure Tura's water future, the government finally triggered the Meghalaya Protection Act of 1990, a law that sat idle for 35 years. By signing formal agreements with local communities in the Ganol and Umiew catchments, the state is moving to safeguard the land that feeds the Greater Tura Water Supply Scheme. These areas, spanning over 52,000 hectares, are now linked to the Rs 344.4-crore MegARISE project, which pairs environmental conservation with community-led ecotourism and alternative livelihood support.
The Chief Minister also deployed a fleet of AGEY vehicles for local self-help groups. These trucks are intended to bridge the gap between rural producers and urban markets, allowing groups to haul their harvests without relying on middlemen.
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