A detailed review meeting under the Human Development Leadership Programme (HDLP) was recently held to assess progress and realign district priorities under Meghalaya’s Human Development and Social Sector Strategy. The session brought together Deputy Commissioners, line department heads, and development partners under the chairmanship of the Development Commissioner to review district-level outcomes, strengthen accountability, and identify time-bound actions to address pressing social and human development challenges.
The discussion opened with a strong focus on maternal and infant mortality, particularly in East and West Khasi Hills, where high maternal deaths continue to be a concern due to delays in institutional deliveries and limited neonatal care facilities. To address these gaps, the Health Department, along with the National Health Mission and District Collectors, will conduct a detailed review of maternal death cases and initiate corrective measures. Every district is expected to establish a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) within the next two to three months. In addition, institutional deliveries will be promoted through closer engagement with Self-Help Groups and Traditional Birth Attendants, and the Chief Minister’s 7,000-vehicle fleet will be leveraged for free hospital transport to ensure timely access to care.
The issue of teenage pregnancy and anemia was another major area of concern, highlighting how fear, misinformation, and lack of health education continue to affect adolescent girls and young mothers. A statewide health literacy campaign will be launched to raise awareness on stunting and anemia, while frontline workers such as ASHAs and Anganwadi Workers will receive training on improved feeding practices, including the cross-cradle hold technique. The effort aims to build community trust and strengthen preventive health behaviour among families.
Traditional healers, including Ojas and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs), were recognised as vital partners in community healthcare. The State plans to train them in safe delivery practices, integrate them into the formal health system, and provide incentives for hospital referrals. This inclusive approach seeks to build a more responsive and trusted rural healthcare network.
Early Childhood Development (ECD) also emerged as a key pillar of Meghalaya’s human development agenda. The State plans to transform existing Anganwadi Centres into Human Development Centres to provide a more holistic foundation for children’s learning and growth. The Social Welfare and Education Departments will jointly work to sanction over 1,700 new Anganwadi Centres in uncovered areas. Nutrition support will also be enhanced, ensuring hot cooked meals and two eggs daily for pregnant and lactating mothers as well as children, alongside preschool education certification for ECD facilitators.
Youth engagement formed another critical focus area. The Education Department, in collaboration with the Harvard Economic Growth Lab, will organise district-level employment workshops. A new initiative, the Gen-Z ECD Fellowship, will be introduced to engage young people in Anganwadi and community-based projects. At the same time, the MPOWER Mission will expand across districts to strengthen adolescent life skills, career guidance, and mental well-being. A survey of out-of-school children will be carried out to design tailored training and employment programmes.
The review also took stock of livelihood and SHG expansion targets. The Community and Rural Development Department aims to double the number of Self-Help Groups from 50,000 to 100,000 within six months. This will be supported by full MGNREGA participation, livelihood training for male SHG members, and coordinated interdepartmental village visits to improve convergence and accountability.
On the education front, the Department of Education has been tasked with addressing school dropouts and absenteeism. Schools will now be required to report any child absent for more than a month, supported by a digital monitoring app for Cluster Resource Centres. Plans are underway to introduce boarding schools in remote areas, expand schools offering classes from kindergarten to Class 12, and improve the teacher-student ratio. Attention will also be given to addressing language-related dropouts linked to the transition from mother-tongue to English-medium learning.
The review also explored innovative ways to strengthen social mobilisation through faith institutions. The State plans to establish a dedicated Faith Institutions Engagement Cell to collaborate with church and community leaders on awareness campaigns around health, education, and nutrition. Similarly, discussions emphasised the importance of involving men in health and nutrition programmes through targeted awareness drives and by updating school curricula to include topics such as reproductive health, safe sex, and family nutrition.
To enhance financial accountability and monitoring, the Social Welfare Department will prioritise training for frontline workers on financial literacy and fund management, ensuring timely disbursement and utilisation of funds. Districts have also been instructed to conduct at least three joint interdepartmental village visits each year and ensure timely submission of Utilisation Certificates.