Title - Mukul inaugurates 10th district in Meghalaya

Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma today urged various groups in the state to refrain from general strikes and agitation, as these have become mere "paid holidays" for government employees. "They (government employees) get paid to sit at home with your money. How is this productive?" the chief minister asked while advising the people to create an environment for the government to work for them. Sangma was speaking after inaugurating the 10th district of the state ' South West Khasi Hills, with its headquarters at Mawkyrwat. He also said rather than resorting to agitation, people should change their mindset and "focus on positive energy". Sangma also asked the people of Mawkyrwat to make promises so that the government could take up various development programmes. "Promise us that in the next Olympics, the Indian contingent will have people from Mawkyrwat in it and I will promise you that you will have a sports complex this year itself. Promise me that you will produce the best students and I will promise you that your college here will be provincialised. Promise me that you will work hard and I will promise you the best of roads. Let us start this partnership with outmost commitment," the chief minister stated. Shifting his focus to the railways, Sangma said Meghalaya would soon have a railway line from Mendipathar (North Garo Hills) to Assam and added that this would generate substantial revenue for the state. "Besides providing better connectivity, the new railway line will bring down the cost of various items and also provide additional means of income to the people. As of now, all businesses being created here in Meghalaya are creating opportunities in Assam. This is an issue which needs to be addressed," he said. Taking note of the adverse stance of pressure groups in relation to railway lines in view of the apprehension that influx would increase, Sangma said this problem could not be solved by the government alone as people's active participation was required. Mawkyrwat, headquarters of the new South West Khasi Hills district, was created as a civil subdivision on June 26, 1982 under West Khasi Hills. The new district has an area of 1,341 square km with a population of 98,583 (2011 census) and includes two Assembly constituencies ' Ranikor and Mawkyrwat. It also has two community and rural development blocks ' Ranikor and Mawkyrwat ' under which there are 216 villages connected by 475.76km of road. The literacy rate of the district is 76.84 per cent. It also shares certain parts of the Indo-Bangladesh border with the major trade routes at Borsora, Cheragoan and Bagli. The main minerals available in the district are coal, limestone, uranium and granite. Some of the tourist spots in the district are Jakrem hot springs and Ranikor, also known as the anglers' paradise. The district's deputy commissioner will be Aldous Mawlong while S. Nongtnger will take over as the superintendent of police. Next week, the chief minister will inaugurate the South West Garo Hills district in his home constituency ' Ampati.