MGNREGS utilisation in Meghalaya rises to Rs 2,000 crore; CM inaugurates mini secretariat, circuit house in Pynursla

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on October 28 said the state’s utilisation under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) has grown nearly fourfold — from less than ₹500 crore in 2018 to nearly ₹2,000 crore — while the number of houses sanctioned annually under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has increased from around 5,000 to 1.5 lakh.

Speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed Mini Secretariat and Circuit House in Pynursla, the chief minister attributed these improvements not to the launch of new programmes but to better implementation and governance.

“These achievements were not because of new schemes, but because we implemented things differently,” Sangma said. “The Mini Secretariat and Circuit House symbolise our commitment to decentralised and efficient governance, bringing administration closer to the people.”

Explaining the idea behind the Mini Secretariat, Sangma said it would function as a one-stop centre for all sub-divisional departments. “People should not have to go from one office to another. They should be able to submit their documents locally and get them processed within a week or ten days,” he added.

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Reflecting on his government’s broader vision, the chief minister said improving administrative infrastructure has been a key priority since the formation of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government in 2018. He revealed that before this initiative, many of the 46 block offices in Meghalaya were operating from temporary or dilapidated structures — some with just two rooms shared by multiple departments.

“To change this, we decided that every block must have a proper office — something that hadn’t been done in 30 or 40 years,” Sangma said. He added that all 56 blocks in the state now have sanctioned funds for permanent office complexes, following a uniform design model. These are either completed, under construction, or in the process of being tendered, with the goal of ensuring that every block has its own office within the next two years.

Highlighting the government’s larger investment in public infrastructure, Sangma said over ₹150 crore has been spent on constructing and upgrading administrative buildings. Under the Police Infrastructure Renovation Fund (PIRF), district Superintendents of Police have also been empowered to directly carry out repairs and upgrades to police stations.

The chief minister further stated that nearly ₹500 crore has been invested in improving school infrastructure across the state, covering lower primary to higher secondary institutions. “We are ensuring that not just administration, but also our government schools have proper facilities. Now we are also working on improving aided and SSA schools,” he added.

Sangma also mentioned that substantial funds have been sanctioned for health infrastructure, including the upgradation of PHCs, sub-centres, and new DC and SDO offices, to improve access to public services in long-neglected areas.

“These initiatives are about strengthening the foundation of governance — ensuring that every citizen, regardless of where they live, can access services efficiently and with dignity,” the chief minister said.