Meghalaya sharpens SDG push with district focus, outcome budgeting

Meghalaya has intensified efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with officials emphasising district-level execution, data systems and outcome-based budgeting at a state workshop on Thursday.

The programme, held at the State Convention Centre, reviewed progress and gaps in SDG implementation, bringing together officials and development partners to align strategies with measurable outcomes.

Commissioner and Secretary of the Planning Department, Vijay Kumar D, said the state has built a structured delivery system with SDG cells across districts, supported by research fellows and village-level data volunteers.

He said the expansion of a catalytic fund would allow districts to access up to ₹1.5 crore each for targeted interventions, adding that the government aims to place Meghalaya among the top 10 states in SDG performance by 2030.

Secretary of Planning, Investment Promotion and Sustainable Development, R. Nainamalai, said SDG implementation is being linked with the state’s long-term economic goals, including scaling up growth in the coming decades.

He noted that Meghalaya is among a few states using SDG-linked budgeting to track outcomes, and said it has retained its “Performer” category in the NITI Aayog SDG Index, with improvements in water access, inequality reduction and climate action.

Officials said the workshop focused on strengthening district data systems, monitoring tools such as the Village Advancement Index, and aligning schemes through convergence.

East Khasi Hills was identified as a leading district performer, reflecting the impact of decentralised planning and monitoring mechanisms, according to the discussions.

Advisor with the Indo-German development partnership, K. M. Pala, said partnerships, innovation and accountability would be key to improving SDG outcomes.

Participants also reviewed vocational training in green jobs and the role of documentation in tracking progress, while underlining the need for stronger coordination across departments.