Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma seeks additional Rs 10,000 crore under EAP window

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday, September 9, sought an additional allocation of Rs 10,000 crore for the state under the Externally Aided Projects (EAP) window during a meeting with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi.

Sangma, who was accompanied by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, discussed issues related to EAPs for Meghalaya and the Northeast region with Sitharaman.

“Met the Hon'ble Union Finance Minister, Smti @nsitharaman ji along with the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam, Dr. @himantabiswa ji to discuss matters relating to Externally Aided Projects,” Sangma said in a social media post.

He also thanked Sitharaman for her continued support for the aspirations of Meghalaya and the Northeast.

A senior state Finance Department official said Sangma specifically pressed for an additional Rs 10,000 crore allocation for Meghalaya under the EAP window.

The demand comes weeks after the Meghalaya chief minister said the state was seeking an increase in its EAP allocation, which has remained at Rs 5,000 crore since the previous Finance Commission.

Sangma has earlier said Meghalaya wants to raise the allocation to Rs 15,000 crore. The state had initially sought to double the existing limit to Rs 10,000 crore.

He has also highlighted Meghalaya’s performance in implementing externally aided projects and said the Centre services 90 per cent of the loans for such projects.

The proposed increase is aimed at enabling Meghalaya to take up more externally aided development projects and strengthen infrastructure and other sectors in the state.