Meghalaya Border Area Development Minister Rakkam A Sangma on Tuesday has demanded the introduction of railways connectivity from Guwahati to Dhaka via Baghmara in South Garo Hills which will increase the economic prospects of the region.
The Minister said he will meet the Chief Minister soon and will pursue his demand for railway.
Speaking to the Media, Rakkam said there is a proposal long time back when Captain Williamson Sangma was chief minister to connect Guwahati with Bangladesh through Baghmara with railways.
“I will also still demand to make this happen because Baghmara can be the corridor for Meghalaya and for North East where it can be connected directly to Dhaka. The trade and employment generation will rise up and lots of our young people and economy will improve,” he said.
He said, “Therefore, it is my pleasure to demand to the Government of India and I will also be meeting the Chief Minister very soon as a local MLA to demand for railways to connect Guwahati to Bangladesh to Dhaka through Baghmara.”
According to him, a petition was already submitted that integrated check should set up at Baghmara so that tourists and businessmen can come in because if railway comes, the economy of the people will improve to a great extent.
Asked, Rakkam said, “If it is possible, I would request the railways department, the government of India, the government of Meghalaya to connect Baghmara with Guwahati by railway.”
“Having said so, to me as education minister I want to tell that every year I have been attending most of the graduation and convocation ceremonies in the state where there are 18,000 to 20,000 graduates and post-graduates every year. Out of 20,000 in a year, only 1,500 – 2000 government jobs are being advertised while the rest 18,000 plus educated are unemployed.”
On the continued opposition against railways in Khasi-Jaintia regions, the minister said, “Yes, there may be issues with everybody but now we have to decide the merits and demerits. Coming of railways to Shillong or East Khasi Hills may have the negative and demerits also but the merits are also there like the connectivity, job opportunities. The people from Garo Hills are going to Dimpur to buy clothes because the cost is cheaper. Therefore, I request let our people decide after comparing the merits and demerits. Whichever is heavier (they should go with that only).”
He said people should allow railways if proper mechanism can be installed as employment and economy is the need of the hour.
“Therefore, we need more industries, we need more railways, we need more markets, we need more institutions which will create employment to the young people. Livelihood is above all importance. As a son of the state, we should find a way how to make our graduates employed.”