Meghalaya aims to conserve over 1 lakh hectares of forest in next 5 years

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday announced a ‘Viksit Meghalaya’ plan, aiming to make the state’s economy a 100-billion-dollar one by 2047. 

During the Independence Day celebration at Polo Grounds, the Chief Minister stated, “It is an ambitious plan for transforming India into a developed country by the 100th anniversary of our independence in 2047.” 

He expressed his aspiration for ‘Viksit Meghalaya’ to achieve this economic milestone by the 75th anniversary of the statehood. Sangma mentioned that he drew inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ while formulating the vision for ‘Viksit Meghalaya’.

In 2022, during Meghalaya’s 50th statehood celebration, the state launched the Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Policy, targeting Rs 10,000 crore investment by 2028 and generating 5 lakh jobs. 

The state’s GDP is projected to touch 16 billion dollars by 2032. The Chief Minister urged everyone to contribute to the state’s economy, aiming to create a Meghalayan Decade (2022-2032). He stated that the vision document is now public for citizens to share their views and aspirations for Meghalaya in 2032. 

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The document targets placing Meghalaya among the top 10 states in India within 10 years and provides 10 critical guarantees, including road connectivity, water supply, power supply, housing, affordable healthcare, quality education, social security, internet and telecom services, doorstep service delivery, and community infrastructure. 

Some guarantees are already in place, with 5.2 lakh households receiving tap water connections, achieving 80 per cent coverage in 5 years. On road connectivity, the Centre has sanctioned Rs 2,500 crore for new road projects, with the state building over 2,500 km of roads in the last five years, improving connectivity to 7,000 villages. 

The healthcare sector has seen significant improvements, with a 47 per cent drop in maternal deaths and a 30 per cent drop in infant mortality, attributed to the Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme. The government has constructed over 30 new sub-centres this year, with another 100 planned, increasing the total number from 460 to 610. For women’s empowerment in rural areas, the government is implementing a scheme to improve the income of 1 lakh women, creating ‘Lakhpati Didis, Lakhpati Kongs, and Lakhpati Abis’. 

About 6.5 lakh households benefit from MNREGA, with a vibrant self-help group movement of over 45,000 women’s groups. The state government has proposed Rs 2,000 crore for more 5-star hotels and premium resorts in Shillong, Sohra, and Tura under a PPP model. 

The homestay scheme has sanctioned over 600 homestays in the last two years, with another 2,000 targeted, offering up to 70 per cent subsidy. To combat deforestation, several afforestation and landscape rejuvenation programmes are underway. 

Under the Green Meghalaya programme, communities and individuals are paid to protect forests, conserving over 56,000 hectares in two years, with a goal of conserving another 1 lakh hectares in the next five years. 

The state government has applied the newly promulgated Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, while Autonomous District Council Courts will continue to function under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.