Development must be measured by impact on people’s lives, says Conrad K. Sangma

Conrad K. Sangma on March 6 said that the true measure of development lies in the difference it makes in the lives of ordinary citizens, rather than merely the infrastructure created by the government.

Addressing a programme in Tura to mark eight years of the National People's Party-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, the chief minister reflected on the challenges faced by his administration since it assumed office in 2018.

Sangma said the journey had been difficult at times but the government managed to overcome obstacles with the support of the people.
“Over the last eight years, our journey has been filled with challenges and difficulties. At times, it has been painful and it has certainly not been easy. But with blessings from above, the love of the people and the support of our citizens, we have been able to overcome most of these challenges,” he said.

Highlighting the achievements of the government, Sangma noted that infrastructure projects such as new government buildings, roads and schools are important indicators of development. However, he emphasised that governance should ultimately be judged by its impact on people’s daily lives.

“People often ask what the greatest achievements in the last eight years were. Whether it was the new secretariat being built in Shillong or the additional secretariat being constructed in Tura, roads built or schools constructed. While all these are important, the greatest satisfaction I get is being able to bring a smile on the face of a citizen,” he said.

Sangma first took oath as the 12th chief minister of Meghalaya on March 6, 2018. With the completion of eight years in office, he has now become the longest-serving chief minister in the state in terms of continuous tenure, surpassing the record held by the state’s first chief minister, Williamson A. Sangma, who had served for seven years and 335 days in a single stretch.

Interestingly, Sangma had not contested the 2018 Assembly elections and was serving as a Member of Parliament from the Tura Lok Sabha constituency when the NPP emerged as a key player in forming the coalition government.

Though senior NPP leader Prestone Tynsong was initially projected as the chief ministerial candidate, coalition partners including the United Democratic Party, Hill State People's Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party later rallied behind Sangma and requested him to return from Delhi to lead the government.

Following this, Sangma resigned as the MP from Tura and returned to the state, while his sister Agatha K. Sangma contested the parliamentary seat he vacated. Sangma subsequently won the by-election from the South Tura Assembly constituency, enabling him to formally continue as chief minister.

Speaking at the programme, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong described the completion of eight years of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government as a significant milestone. He said financial assistance amounting to around Rs 220 crore was distributed among beneficiaries during the event.

Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Thomas A. Sangma also congratulated the chief minister on becoming the longest-serving leader of the state in terms of continuous tenure.

During the programme, Sangma announced several welfare initiatives, including the Chief Minister’s Scholarship Scheme for the academic year 2025–26, which will benefit nearly 98,751 students with financial assistance of over Rs 5 crore.

The government also launched a Rs 3-crore initiative to provide uniform grants to around 50,000 students through direct benefit transfer.

Additionally, the chief minister remotely inaugurated 101 community halls across the state under a project supported by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.