Shillong, 2025 —
Facilitated by: Meghalaya State Capability Enhancement Project (SCEP) – Government Innovation Lab (GIL)
Focus: Translating the state’s vision into concrete, coordinated strategies to strengthen social welfare systems, with a central emphasis on Early Childhood Development (ECD), women’s empowerment, and protection of vulnerable populations.
Participants: Senior state officials, district and block-level officers, technical experts, and representatives from Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), Mission Shakti, Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS), Meghalaya Early Childhood Development Mission, (MECDM) along with allied departments.
The second day of the Strategic Follow-Up Workshop for the Social Welfare Department, facilitated by the Meghalaya State Capability Enhancement Project (SCEP) – Government Innovation Lab (GIL), moved from vision articulation to in-depth strategy development. The day was focused on translating Vision 2030 commitments into actionable plans. The emphasis remained on strengthening early childhood development, women’s empowerment, and protection for vulnerable populations through improved interdepartmental coordination and community engagement.
Key points:
- Transition from broad visioning to concrete strategy design.
- Inclusion of all core programmes under Social Welfare with allied departments.
- Central focus on ECD, women’s empowerment, and protection.
Opening the day, Praveen Bakshi, IAS, Commissioner & Secretary, Government of Meghalaya, framed the workshop as an opportunity to address daily operational challenges while keeping the larger vision intact. He urged participants to focus on “translating vision into mission” by creating locally relevant, realistic solutions rather than applying one-size-fits-all models. He stressed the need for honest dialogue, participatory decision-making, and mutual learning, recognising the workshop as a platform to strengthen both professional trust and interdepartmental relationships.
Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary of the Community & Rural Development (C&RD) Department, reiterated that the state’s progress depends on a unified sense of purpose among all actors. He anchored his remarks in the Chief Minister’s vision of making Meghalaya a “development state,” starting with the most vulnerable — children. He highlighted that recent cross-departmental work, such as with the C&RD department, had already uncovered critical barriers like Aadhaar-linked access issues and reaffirmed the value of grassroots ownership in service delivery. He called for strategic clarity on child-centred actions, urging that parents, caregivers, and communities be actively engaged in creating supportive ecosystems. Citing Gandhian principles, Kumar stressed that the child must be at the centre of all actions, with wellbeing as both a moral and strategic imperative.
In the same session, Prof. Aroon led a strategic leadership discussion, posing the challenge: “Imagine: what bold change would you pursue for child development if nothing stood in your way — no policy blocks, no silos, no resistance?”
He outlined five guiding directions:
- Strengthening convergence and interdepartmental collaboration.
- Mobilising communities to take ownership of schemes and programmes.
- Engaging in continuous community consultation and feedback loops.
- Encouraging acceptance of positive norm changes.
- Developing policies centred equally on children and caregivers.
SESSION I
The first session of the day, led by Prof. Aroon, focused on reimagining welfare programmes and aligning departmental purposes with shared outcomes. Participants reflected on their mandates, visions, missions, and values, examining how these could be coordinated to achieve greater impact. The discussion emphasized the distinction between formal mandates, which are statutory obligations, and informal mandates, which arise from unspoken community needs. A key takeaway was the importance of embedding equity as a core value, ensuring that interventions reach the most vulnerable populations. The session also highlighted Vision 2030 targets, including zero malnutrition and inclusive protection for all vulnerable groups, as benchmarks for planning and measuring progress. Increasing women’s representation in leadership positions was recognized as critical for inclusive and effective policymaking.
During the session, departments shared their specific roles and missions. The ICDS focused on providing universal nutrition, healthcare, and education for children under six and for pregnant and lactating mothers. Mission Shakti reaffirmed its commitment to women’s safety, security, and empowerment. ICPS emphasized child rights and protection, while the ECD Mission focused on holistic development for children aged 0–8, integrating parental well-being. Collaboration across departments, NGOs, and community organizations was identified as essential to achieving these goals.
The second session involved a SWOT analysis of each department. ICDS highlighted the dedication of Anganwadi Workers and real-time data tracking as strengths but noted manpower shortages and monitoring gaps as weaknesses. Mission Shakti relied on strong community rapport and teamwork yet faced financial and infrastructural challenges. ICPS was praised for capacity-building and NGO partnerships but struggled with resource limitations. The ECD Mission benefited from strong networks and political support but encountered coordination challenges and risks from partner overcrowding. Across departments, shared strengths included a committed workforce and community acceptance, while common weaknesses involved infrastructure deficits, manpower gaps, and weak interdepartmental coordination.
Leadership reflections emphasized collaboration, proactive problem-solving, and community engagement. Sampath Kumar highlighted that improvements in maternal and child health were achieved not through additional funding but through consistent internal cooperation. Ramakrishna Chitturi stressed the need for role clarity and initiative, urging staff to act decisively beyond formal responsibilities. C. Doreen Lyngwa recognized effective cross-sector leadership while identifying urgent needs in border safety, drug rehabilitation, and resource mobilization.
The day also featured an evidence-based review of Anganwadi Centres, revealing training gaps, inadequate infrastructure, and underutilized co-location with schools. Case studies demonstrated challenges such as severe malnutrition, cultural barriers to breastfeeding, and overburdened caregivers. Proposed solutions included joint home visits by community workers, integrating day-care services, and engaging men in caregiving roles.
The workshop concluded with strategic priorities: improving birth spacing and positive parenting, promoting exclusive breastfeeding, and expanding ICDS coverage to all eligible households. Operational recommendations included forming community ECD Committees, monthly review meetings, male engagement modules, and six-month action cycles with clear accountability.
Closing the session, Ronald Kynta, COO of the ECD Mission, emphasized that Vision 2030 will succeed only if equity, trust, and community leadership are embedded in everyday operations. The discussions set a strong foundation for a coordinated, accountable, and inclusive approach to social welfare in Meghalaya.