Shillong: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong on Thursday inaugurated the Rural Integrated Community Development (RICD) Programme at Lumpengshyrngan SSA LP & UP School in Pynursla, marking the launch of a multi-sector rural development initiative aimed at strengthening education, healthcare, sanitation, water access, renewable energy and community wellbeing in Meghalaya’s underserved tribal regions.
The initiative is being implemented by Apollo Foundation – Total Health with support from Altius Telecom Infrastructure Trust, in alignment with the Meghalaya government’s vision for inclusive and sustainable rural development.
The inauguration programme was attended by Additional Chief Secretary and Development Commissioner Sampath Kumar, SDO (Civil) Pynursla Gautam Warjri, DSP and SDPO Pynursla B.L. Wanswett, BDO Pynursla C&RD Block L. Kharmon, Altius CSR & ESG Head Rubecca Adlakha, Altius HR Operations Head Jagat Mohanty, Apollo Foundation CEO PremAnand, village headmen, teachers, students and local residents.
Speaking at the event, Tynsong said education remains one of the government’s top priorities and stressed the need to ensure quality learning opportunities for every child.
He underscored the importance of public-private partnerships in addressing developmental gaps, stating that CSR-driven initiatives can significantly contribute to community transformation.
“Projects like this will create an impact not only on students but also at the household and community level,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister also urged teachers to focus on the holistic development and overall wellbeing of students beyond routine classroom teaching. He assured that the state government would support the expansion of similar programmes across Meghalaya.
Additional Chief Secretary Sampath Kumar highlighted the state’s Smart Village Movement initiative, describing Meghalaya as the only state in the country implementing such a model that brings together government agencies, enterprises and private stakeholders for rural transformation.
He said the government’s development strategy focuses equally on physical and human infrastructure and pointed to the introduction of smart classrooms in five schools under the project as an example of technology-driven educational reform that could be replicated elsewhere in the state.
Representatives from Altius Telecom Infrastructure Trust said the initiative reflects the company’s broader commitment to community development alongside digital connectivity.
Jagat Mohanty, Head of HR Operations at Altius, said the company has already established around 1,100 telecom towers across Meghalaya but stressed that infrastructure development must also improve lives and create opportunities for communities.
Rebecca Adlakha, Head of CSR and ESG at Altius, said the company’s social impact initiatives are guided by its “Tower Roots” framework aimed at building resilient and digitally connected communities through sustainable and inclusive solutions.
She said the Pynursla initiative focuses on holistic village development through interventions in education, healthcare, sanitation, renewable energy, water access, livelihoods and community infrastructure with the long-term goal of creating self-sustainable model villages.
Currently, the RICD programme covers 10 villages in East Khasi Hills and benefits over 4,170 people across 509 households. The initiative supports 10 schools serving 647 children and strengthens healthcare access through two Primary Health Centres and two Sub-Centres.
Under the education component, the project has upgraded school infrastructure, introduced ICT-enabled smart classrooms equipped with computers and projectors, and installed solar electrification systems to ensure uninterrupted power supply. More than 20 teachers from LKG to Class 8 have also received digital pedagogy training.
The programme’s WASH interventions include the construction of gender-sensitive toilets, installation of handwashing stations and deployment of RO-based drinking water systems in schools and village clusters. Hygiene awareness campaigns are also being conducted among residents and students.
In the healthcare sector, the initiative has supplied essential medical equipment to two PHCs and two Sub-Centres to improve diagnostics and healthcare delivery in remote areas. These interventions are expected to benefit nearly 31,884 people across 23 villages.
Officials said the programme places strong emphasis on community participation and local ownership through regular awareness and engagement activities promoting sanitation, health-seeking behaviour and sustainable development practices.
The Meghalaya RICD initiative is being envisioned as a scalable rural development model that can be expanded to other regions of the state in the future.