Angela Rangad’s Action Plan for South Shillong

For the last eight months I have been visiting all of your houses to introduce myself, my background and my reasons for fighting these upcoming MLA elections as an Independent Candidate from KAM Meghalaya.  Unlike other politicians who come in a crowd or call for meetings or send just their supporters to seek your support, I wanted to have a conversation with you personally to understand your concerns and aspirations for you, your family, your locality, your constituency and Meghalaya. These personal meetings have been a learning experience for me, so thank you. Based on our conversations, your responses to my survey form and our research, I am putting forward An Action Plan for South Shillong to make it a model corruption free, participatory constituency in Meghalaya.

South Shillong is a multi-ethnic constituency with people of various economic backgrounds. The challenge for us is how we work with this diversity in a fair and just manner so that South Shillong and its citizens become a beacon of peaceful and inclusive development. 

I believe that an MLA is just a representative of the aspirations and concerns of every voter, not just those who voted for her/him. As a MLA. I believe that:

Development is a right of everyone irrespective of class, creed, community, gender. Development is not a charity from the MLA or the Government.

As a citizen of a democracy we have the right to participate in deciding how policies and schemes are formulated and implemented.

As a citizen we have the right to get accounts of the money being spent by the MLA. You have the right to question the actions and policies of your representative without fear.

Everyone has the Right to a peaceful life and livelihood.

But before you read my action plan we need to ensure how my work as an MLA can be made corruption free and accountable.

MAKING MLA SCHEMES CORRUPTION & NEPOTISM FREE 

Every constituency gets Rs. 2 Crore 50 lakhs per year plus around 20 Lakhs as discretionary grant for development of constituency and support for its citizens. This money is divided in 4 different schemes:

Special Urban Works Programmes 
Intensive Arts and Culture Development Programme 
Intensive Sports & Youth Development Programmes 
Discretionary grant

Remember it is your money the MLA has and he/she has merely facilitated and oversees that the funds are utilised in an efficient and transparent manner by you and your community itself. Even the guidelines of the scheme say that, “the implementation of the schemes should be through direct participation of the people and not through contractors. The main objective is the involvement of people without a middleman.” 

We know that for a long time these schemes have been implemented not as per the guidelines or in a fair and transparent manner. 

So let us begin with how I propose to implement the MLA Scheme: 

South Shillong Action Plan

ACCOUNTABLE, TRANSPARENT & CORRUPTION FREE SOUTH SHILLONG

People’s Rights Facilitation and Grievance Centre

One Stop Facilitation centre for people to submit & track their applications to access their entitlements and to get information regarding various schemes, entitlements, and public records.

Website & Mobile Application for South Shillong Constituency

To stop corruption this mobile App & website will pro actively disclose all the public interest information like budget, tenders, contracts, schemes being implemented, list of beneficiaries, projects, their plans, names of contractors, and audit reports. This website shall also act as recipient of application for support, grievances people may have with the MLA / MLA Scheme.

Social Audit: Our Money, Our Account!
The MLA scheme shall be socially audited by you the citizens to check the implementation of the scheme, its quality whether the scheme has reached the intended beneficiary or not.

WHY: Why should anyone, in this digital age, make rounds of the MLA office or various government offices to simply seek information on the usage of public money as well as implementation of various schemes, programs, and initiatives? Every person who we have met in our campaign has told us about the difficulties, harassment & humiliation they have to go through to seek basic information. 

GOVERNANCE & ACCESS TO RIGHTS IN SOUTH SHILLONG

Making access to entitlements like ration, pension, scholarships as well as to services like licences, permissions & registrations easy, efficient, and corruption-free.

Create a network of doctors, pharmacies, nurses, & caregivers and Community Outreach & Support Fellows who will provide doorstep support for service delivery to the elderly, persons with disabilities, and working families. The support shall include assistance in filling up forms and applications for schemes, services, & entitlements, submitting grievances, and providing information about schemes & services that they can avail.

WHY: We recognize & acknowledge that the elderly, persons with disability, & working families face a lot of hardships in accessing their entitlements because of inaccessible government offices, dependence on family, & lack of spare time. These residents also require more handholding and an empathetic attitude. 

Regular MLA Open House across different localities for MLA’s easy accessibility for all 

The  MLA office shall conduct an Open House at least once a month in every locality to provide assistance to the residents in grievance redress, progress update on the South Shillong Action Plan, utilisation report of MLA funds & discuss solutions for the pressing issues of the constituency. 

Every major locality will have an MLA office

WHY: “Before elections leaders visit people for votes. After elections, elected representatives don’t want to face people”. People should not be begging at MLA’s doorstep for their rights & basic needs rather the MLA should come to people regularly.LOCAL SELF GOVERNANCE

Participatory planning and budgeting in association with local government institutions, women and youth groups, & community groups and every resident of South Shillong.

Respecting the autonomy of local self government institutions and no interference from MLA in elections and functioning of Dorbars, Seng Kynthei, Seng Samla & community groups. 

Ensure that Cantonment Board areas get all the central schemes that are meant for Catonment Board Areas

WHY: We believe one crucial function of the MLA is to facilitate women, youth, and community groups to participate better in decentralised planning & budgetary exercise. 

SAFETY, SECURITY LAW & PEACE IN SOUTH SHILLONG

Free Legal Aid & Support Cell along with a Helpline and Mobile App 
MLA in association with Meghalaya Legal Services Authority to support victims of domestic violence, sexual assaults and hate crimes. This shall also provide legal aid and mediation support to workers and tenants for the problems faced at the worksites and in rental housing.

South Shillong Red Alert app connected to local police station

CCTV in Public Spaces

Well lit streets and bylanes

Bi-annual safety audit of South Shillong 

WHY: We believe access to legal aid & support is a basic human right as it is central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to counsel and the right to a fair trial.OUTH SHILLONG

WHAT WOULD I DO IN SOUTH SHILLONG IN
FIRST 100 DAYS AS MLA

Independent participatory survey to understand civic (including water), educational and social infrastructure, people’s economic status and needs. And in two months share the report to people to deliberate and plan for the budget allocation.

Starting the process of open house meetings with MLA and start locality based MLA offices

Setting up of People’s Rights, Facilitation, and Grievance Centre affiliated to MLA office to facilitate people’s access to their entitlements.

Start the process of participatory budgeting and identification of projects through open town halls with all the voters of South Shillong. 

Special registration camps, application and grievance redress drives for key entitlements schemes like MHIS, ration, pension, BoCW, scholarships, and social security coverage for 100% families in different localities of South Shillong.  

Start the process of interactive transparency and needs portal for South Shillong where people will get details of the funds and all the accounts. 

Collect and share all the information regarding various entitlement schemes of central, & state govt.

Identify locations for Community Learning Centres

Creation of Social Audit Councils to examine quality of works and corruption

Present the first participatory budget for South Shillong

EDUCATION IN SOUTH SHILLONG

Community Learning Centers in South Shillong 

• Learning enhancement program and remedial classes for students of class 1 to 8
• Special support for entrance tests – Super 30
• Community coaching & mentoring program for students of class 8-12
• National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) study circle for dropped out children wanting to finish school education 
• Free online certificate courses from world’s top universities 
• Creating programs for educational, professional, & cultural exchange for the youth of South Shillong for a global exposure

Community Essential School Supplies & Resource Bank

• Textbooks, workbooks and Uniform
• Magazines, Children Literature and digital readin devices 
• Competitive Examination Resources
• Board Games

School-based Mental Health Program

Help schools to upgrade digital infrastructure as well as their science labs

WHY:  The quality of education is rapidly degrading and it is impacting the lives & future of children coming from economically weaker backgrounds the most. Poor learning is also pushing 50% of our children to drop out. 

YOUTH & EMPLOYMENT IN SOUTH SHILLONG

Entrepreneurship, Skill Upgradation, and Career Support Hub

Hub to focus on enhancing employability skills of our youth, provide handholding to navigate the job market, & promote entrepreneurship that can generate local employment. Focus on creating opportunities for internships and apprenticeships in the public as well as private sector. 

Bi-annual Job Fair & Foreign language courses 

Bring MGNREGS to deprived per-urban areas of South Shillong, 100 days of guaranteed work to every family in disadvantaged areas

WHY:  There is enough evidence nationally as well as globally that suggests that the Job Fairs, in the medium run, increase the likelihood of formal sector employment. Foreign language proficiency plays an important role in the recruitment process, as it increases the applicants’ probability of recruitment. And employment guarantee in disadvantaged areas, unlike cash transfers, will increase family income by 35000 rupees and also create newer community assets.

WOMEN

Support for Domestic Violence & Abuse Victims – Helpline, Counselling, & Legal Support
For women who are facing family issues in relation to maintenance they will be connected with the Women’s Commission for the redress of their grievances. All support will be given to the aggrieved.  

Modernised Creche facilities run by local women’s groups will be made available to all families in the constituency 

Facilitate the creation of an Urban Self-Help Group of women for easy & safe access to credit, to promote women-led enterprises, & to bring financial security for women. 

WHY: According to the National Family & Health Survey, every one in four women (25%) in Urban areas of Meghalaya face domestic violence, which is one of the highest in the country.  95% of the women cannot afford hired help for child care, which is a huge impediment for them to participate in the economy equally. 

CIVIC INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES IN SOUTH SHILLONG

Work towards 500L clean and safe water for a household of 4

Community-based rainwater harvesting system 

Clean and hygienic public toilets in community & every market

Community-owned godowns & warehousing facilities for small business owners, hawkers, & traders to reduce transportation costs, increase flexibility and boost local economy.

Infrastructure upgradation of the Anganwadi centres and public schools

Support all public & private institutions in South Shillong to transition energy source to solar energy

Ensure functional garbage collection system and monetise and create employment generating recycling micro industries

Ensure quality of roads, lanes, and drainages through independent monitoring.

WHY: Our roads, lanes, and drainages need to be of better quality and the MLA office through the Social Audit Council, Youth Groups, and Community Volunteers ensure an independent monitoring of their quality.  

Regular Bus Service through the constituency and accessible and affordable school bus system

WHY: We have been told repeatedly by the residents that lack of affordable public transport is costing them almost 30% of their daily wages and earnings. This is unacceptable and we will work with the Government of Meghalaya Transport Department to ensure regular and affordable bus services in South Shillong. 

My 6 ETHICAL COMMITMENTS

My office shall be a Public Authority under RTI and shall pro-actively disclose information in accordance with RTI Act 2005 to stop corruption.

Out of my salary as an MLA, I shall only take the minimum wages of a daily wage earner till the welfare Boards for Domestic Workers, Gig & Platform Workers (Rapido/Swiggy/Courier Service) is set up. Rest of my salary will go towards setting up of People’s Rights Facilitation and Grievance Centre at the constituency level. 

Setting up of People’s Rights, Facilitation, and Grievance Centre affiliated to MLA office to facilitate people’s access to their entitlements.

My name shall not feature on any plaque on projects implemented in the constituency. The plaque shall state the budget & expenditure as well as time taken to implement the project. 

No one shall ever be made to line up to receive their benefits from MLA scheme.  It shall be delivered at their door step.

I shall go to government hospitals for all my and my family’s health needs.

I shall never ever use Red Beacon.

HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE

Creation of a community-managed Supplementary Nutrition Program to ensure provision of eggs, fruits, and local cereals in all its supplementary nutrition and meal programs (schools & Anganwadis) for children, adolescent girls, and lactating and pregnant mothers. 

Annual health check up in every school of South Shillong 

Support to students with disability

24X7 access to generic & essential medicines in the constituency     

WHY: Every one in three children is stunted. 50% of our women and adolescent girls are anaemic.The issue of access to medicines is a fundamental compo nent of the full realisation of the Right to Health. 

DRUGS & CRIME

South Shillong Drug Education & Prevention Network

South Shillong Addiction Treatment & Rehabilitation Center 

South Shillong Education & Prevention Network & Center shall coordinate and support volunteer projects in the areas of substance abuse prevention, treatment, and law enforcement. Accessible and affordable for the patient to confront substance dependence and stop substance misuse to avoid the psychological, legal, financial, social, and physical consequences.

WHY: We believe that drugs & related crimes can be thwarted through collective action, strong political will, & investment of resources into prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation efforts. 

SOCIAL SECURITY 

Every family that qualifies for subsidised food grains should have a ration card.

Ensuring every family has a MHIS card.

Ensuring that every working person of south Shillong who works in the construction sector is a member of the Meghalaya Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare (BoCW) Board so that they can access various support schemes for workers that the board has. 

Ensuring that every domestic workers, taxi drivers, street vendors and hawkers are registered with life and accident cover.  

WHY: Affordable and accessible healthcare is a basic human right! The MLA office shall work with the labour department and organise special registration drives, application support and grievance camps to cover 100% registration of building and other construction workers of South Shillong. 

SPORTS IN SOUTH SHILLONG

The MLA Office shall set up a special fund for the emerging and established sportspersons in order to reimburse their travel, enrichment, & any other support they may require in order to participate in competitions and camps. 

Constituency-wide sports program in all the public schools aimed at preparing students for high-performance sports 

The MLA office shall facilitate setting up of coaching and scouting clinics across the constituency to find, develop, and promote potential sportspersons. 

Annual Sports festival

WHY: South Shillong shall pave the way for a grounds-up transformation of the sports ecosystem in Meghalaya through early identification of talent, holistic coaching support & mobilisation of  resources to handhold sporting talents.  

HISTORY, CULTURE & TOURISM

Heritage Walks and trails run by network of local youths

Heritage Homestays in South Shillong

Regular musical/theatre/cultural performances in local community halls, market areas, and other public spaces regularly

Community-level festivals culminating into the Annual South Shillong Cultural Festival in a cascading manner 

Why :  Shillong’s history lives through South Shillong . Remember for many people in the countryside Shillong is still called Laban. and the tourists should experience it through curated walks and trails. We believe the multiethnic and multicultural spirit and vibe of South Shillong should be celebrated and preserved for our children and future generations.