Shillong, Aug 15 : Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Thursday announced a 'Viksit Meghalaya' mission to propel the state's economy to 100 billion dollars by 2047.

While delivering his Independence Day speech after hoisting the Tricolour at the Polo Grounds here, CM Sangma said, "It is an ambitious plan for transforming India into a developed country by the 100th anniversary of our Independence in 2047." He added, "I aspire for 'Viksit Meghalaya' to be a 100-billion-dollar economy by 2047..."

The CM said the hill state witnessed a peaceful year because of the improved law and order situation, and there has been progress in resolving the border issue with Assam.

'The law-and-order situation in the state was peaceful throughout the year. There is progress on the resolution of the interstate border dispute with Assam. We successfully evacuated Meghalayan students and workers from Bangladesh in the wake of the recent crisis,' he said,

The Chief Minister stated, 'The state government has also taken steps to modernise the criminal justice system. We have applied the newly promulgated Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam to the courts of Meghalaya. However, the Autonomous District Council Courts will continue to function under the provision of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.'

According to him, the state government has prepared a Misson 10 target to put Meghalaya among the top 10 states of the country in the next 10 years.

'We have set 10 critical guarantees to every citizen of the state. These guarantees include -- road connectivity, water supply, power supply, housing, affordable healthcare, quality education, social security, Internet and telecom services, doorstep service delivery, and community infrastructure like playfields and community halls in even the remotest parts of the state,' CM Sangma mentioned.

He argued that the 10 guarantees of the state government will improve the lives of every citizen in the coming years.

'Some of these guarantees are already becoming a reality. For instance, we have provided tap water connections to 5.2 lakh households, an 80 per cent coverage. Just five years ago, only 4,500 households had tap water connections. The next step after providing water supply is ensuring the sustainability of sources,' the Chief Minister said.

CM Sangma outlined that quality and affordable healthcare is a top priority of the present government.

'Meghalaya's healthcare sector has witnessed a remarkable transformation in the last few years. We have seen a 47 per cent drop in maternal deaths and a 30 per cent drop in infant mortality. More than 30 new sub-centres have been constructed this year alone, with another 100 scheduled for completion,' he said.

The CM further mentioned that the state government has been working towards opening the Shillong Medical College by the next academic year.

'Work on the Tura Medical College is also progressing steadily. We have also doubled the number of government health centres providing ultrasound facilities in the state in the last two years,' he added.

/IANS