Meghalaya economy more than doubles since 2018, state third fastest-growing in five years: CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on August 15 said the state's economy has more than doubled since 2018, making it the third fastest-growing state in India over the last five years, while asserting that his government remains committed to financial discipline and accelerating development across sectors.

Addressing the Independence Day celebrations at Polo Grounds here, Sangma said his government's development strategy was built around three foundations — "protecting and preserving our land, empowering our people and upholding our culture".

"The foundations for strong results have been laid in every sector. We have come a long way from where we stood eight years ago, and it gives me real satisfaction to see today's Meghalaya and the road ahead of us," he said.

Sangma, who became chief minister for the first time in 2018, said the state had witnessed significant improvements in roads and basic infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, tourism and sports.

"Today, our economy has more than doubled since 2018, making Meghalaya the third fastest-growing state in India over the last five years," he said, while thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre's support.

On environmental conservation, the chief minister said Meghalaya has 76 per cent forest cover and highlighted the Green Meghalaya Plus programme, under which local communities are incentivised to protect natural forests.

More than 60,000 springs have been mapped and efforts are underway to protect them, while over 500 large water-harvesting structures have been created, he said.

Sangma also highlighted the state's efforts to transition towards sustainable mining, saying scientific mining had begun and a framework was being developed to support small miners.

Focus on agriculture and high-value crops

On agriculture, the chief minister said the government was promoting high-value crops through initiatives such as CM Farm Plus, the Organic Mission, Floriculture Mission and Ginger Mission.

"Through the scheme, we are providing high-value, long-gestation crops to over 25,000 farmers across all 12 districts," he said.

Healthcare, too, has witnessed improvement, with maternal deaths declining by 56 per cent since 2020 and infant deaths by nearly 40 per cent, Sangma said.

Under the Safe Motherhood Scheme, more than one lakh pregnant women have been transported to healthcare facilities, including over 15,800 high-risk mothers, he said.

In education, Meghalaya has moved out of the lowest category in the Performance Grading Index, with its score improving from 448 to 525 in a single year, the chief minister said.

The CM Skills Mission has trained more than 55,000 young people since 2022, while entrepreneurship initiatives such as PRIME and CM-ELEVATE have supported thousands of beneficiaries and generated employment opportunities, he said.

Tourism, sports and youth

Tourism has emerged as one of the state's strongest sources of livelihood, Sangma said, with annual visitor numbers rising from around 10 lakh in 2018 to nearly 18 lakh.

"Tourism has not just created income. It has brought dignity," he said.

With Meghalaya preparing to host the 39th National Games, the government has stepped up investment in sports. More than 20,000 grassroots sports projects have been completed or are under way, while the STAR programme has supported over 2,400 athletes, he said.

Urging young people to stay away from drugs, Sangma encouraged them to take up sports, music and skill development, saying the strongest defence against drugs was "a full life".

The chief minister also highlighted the CM Connect initiative for citizen grievance redressal, saying more than one lakh citizens had been reached through the helpline and other channels since 2024.

Culture, language and border issues

On cultural preservation, Sangma said the government would continue efforts to promote Khasi and Garo languages and pursue their inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

He also referred to the Meghalaya government's agreement with Assam in March 2022, which resolved boundary differences in six of the 12 areas of dispute.

"Participation means building with people, not just for them," he said.

Looking ahead, Sangma said the coming year would be particularly significant as Meghalaya turns 55 and hosts the 39th National Games.

"Let it be this: be optimistic, stay patient and aspire high," he said, calling upon people to become partners in the state's development journey.