Shillong, 3rd Nov 2026: Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, today, attended the Advancing the Care Economy through Early Childhood Development Fellowship held at Lariti, Mawkasiang, Shillong.
The program was also attended by Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Lt. Col. Vikram Singh Bhati, Director, National Council for Vocational Education and Training, Dr. Dinesh Arora, Principal Health Specialist, Human and Social Development Sector Office, Asian Development Bank, senior officials from the Social Welfare, Health, Education, and Community and Rural Development Departments, anganwadi workers, ECD Fellows, members of Self-Help Groups and Village Organisations, parents and caregivers.
Speaking during the occasion, Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma, said that the programme marks an important step in advancing Meghalaya’s care economy through the Early Childhood Development Fellowship, bringing together young Fellows, Anganwadi Workers and community institutions.
He added that the primary goal of the ECD Mission is to improve lives and create a lasting positive impact on citizens framing the project asa critical investment in human resources to prepare children for Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. “By investing now, we will build the necessary manpower to lead the country by 2047,” he said.
The Chief Minister highlighted the key pillars for the success of the program viz (i) teamwork that included leadership working alongside anganwadi workers and ECD fellows fostering a culture where no task is beneath any team member (ii) ownership that requires grassroots workers to take initiative and go beyond basic requirements rather than just following orders (iii) parental engagement with focus on how parents spend their time with children directly impacts their child’s future development and (iii) continuity of the program through consistent high-level involvement to ensure administrative and financial support.
He also informed that the program has received recognition, backing and support from various entities like the ADB, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and the Prime Minister himself. He also said that deep and regular monitoring of the program is required maintain momentum and concluding his address, the wishing the ECD Fellows success in their responsibilities.
The ECD Fellowship Programme has expanded across all 12 districts, engaging 1,606 young people, including 144 Fellows from the pilot phase and 1,462 Fellows under Phase 1, to strengthen early-childhood support within their own communities.
The programme included the distribution of ECD Fellows Kits and the Fellowship Guidebook and distribution of awards to winners of Lullaby Singing and Impact Story Telling competitions that were held as a part of the day’s events.
Community Funds amounting to ₹39.50 crore was also provided to 5,064 Self Help Groups during the ocassion, benefiting 40,513 households, reinforcing the role of women-led community institutions in family wellbeing and local development.
The ECD Fellowship Programme brings together two central priorities of Meghalaya’s development vision: engaging and employing our youth and ensuring joyful and quality learning for every child. Children below three years of age rarely attend Anganwadi Centre, leaving many families without structured support on early stimulation during the most critical stage of brain development. ECD Fellows close this gap by conducting home visits, guiding parents and caregivers, and supporting Anganwadi Workers in delivering play-based learning at the centre.
They strengthen the work of the Anganwadi Worker and do not replace her. These Fellows are drawn from Meghalaya’s own villages and spend one year supporting early childhood development within their communities. The Fellowship also deliberately welcomes young men, promoting shared parenting and encouraging greater participation by fathers in early childhood care.
Each Fellow receives an honorarium of ₹48,000 over the year and works towards three nationally recognised NCVET certificates, including qualifications as a Child Health Worker, Associate-cum-Coordinator and Carepreneur. The Carepreneur pathway enables Fellows to eventually establish their own ECD centres. The objective is to prepare young people not only as job seekers, but also as job creators capable of building a sustainable village-level care economy.
The Fellowship therefore creates benefits across generations: children receive better care and early learning, families receive trusted support, and young people gain practical skills, recognised qualifications, employment experience and pathways to entrepreneurship. The fellowship lasts for one year with Fellows receiving an honorarium of ₹3,000 per month during the first six months and ₹5,000 per month during the next six months, subject to satisfactory performance.
