Williamnagar: The Meghalaya government will continue to lay emphasis on social sector, particularly health and education, to ensure unprecedented progress in the state, chief minister Mukul Sangma has said.

While inaugurating the newly constructed Williamnagar Polytechnic Institute in East Garo Hills district on Tuesday, Mukul told the gathering that the government has focussed on the education sector which led to setting up of Captain Williamson Sangma Technical University, the first state-sponsored university.

"The government has a challenge to ensure that education ultimately provides employment and as per the demand map knowledge and skill to ensure space for employment."

Mukul added that the education departmenthas been instructed to avail emerging opportunities so that the youths of Meghalaya are not stuck at the crossroads looking for jobs.

"We should not copy and follow conventional courses. We should try to set a new trend and provide necessary skills which are job driven," the chief minister said.

As the elections are drawing closer, Mukul, who is on a last-minute statewide inauguration spree, said growth and development have started and must continue.

"Other states boast of technical universities, institutes and medical colleges. We have just made a humble beginning; we are on the right track and we must ensure accelerated growth and development," he said.

School education minister Deborah C. Marak said: "The government has been able to ensure visible development in the last 10 years."