Shillong, Dec 13 (PTI) The Meghalaya cabinet on Tuesday approved the proposal for setting up 12 new degree colleges in the state.The announcement comes months ahead of the assembly elections in Meghalaya. Elections in the state are due early next year.Briefing the press after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the cabinet has also approved an ordinance for renaming Capt Williamson Sangma Technical University as Capt Williamson Sangma State University. It is the first state-run university in Meghalaya.The cabinet also gave its nod to the proposal of starting B.A. and B.Com courses at the College of Teacher Education in Tura. For this purpose, 39 new posts will be created.Sangma said this was done in accordance with the New Education Policy (NEP), which requires colleges to have multi-discipline courses.The cabinet also approved 50 new posts for the Shillong Government College of Engineering (SGCE), and 47 posts for the College of Architecture & Planning Tura (CAPT).Sangma said the infrastructure of both the colleges was 99 per cent complete, and the government would spend Rs 2.8 crore for SGCE and Rs 2.7 crore for CAPT annually.The colleges are expected to start the first session by the mid of next year, he said.The state cabinet also approved an amendment to the Meghalaya Health Services Rules to allow the Meghalaya Medical Services Recruitment Board fill up vacant posts through recruitment exams.Sangma said the cabinet also approved a compensation policy for deaths of undertrial prisoners, in accordance with the direction of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). PTI JOP SOM SOM