Shillong, March 16: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Meghalaya Regional Office, on Monday organised the State Credit Seminar 2026 at the State Convention Centre in Shillong, where the State Focus Paper (SFP) 2026–27 was officially released. The event was graced by the Governor of Meghalaya, C. H. Vijayashankar, as the Chief Guest.
The seminar brought together senior government officials, banking representatives, development agencies, and other stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening agriculture, MSMEs, and rural infrastructure in the state. Among those present were Harish Chandra Chaudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor; Swapnil Tembe, Secretary (Finance), Government of Meghalaya; Olden Nongpluh, General Manager/Officer-in-Charge, Reserve Bank of India, Shillong; Samir Kant Jha, Deputy General Manager, State Bank of India; and Richard Yanthan, Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
Welcoming the gathering, Joan R. Blah, General Manager and Officer-in-Charge of NABARD, Meghalaya Regional Office, highlighted the Chief Minister’s vision of building a USD 150-billion economy for Meghalaya by 2047. She stressed the need for strategic planning, stronger market linkages, infrastructure development, food processing initiatives, and climate-resilient agricultural practices to achieve sustainable growth.
Addressing the seminar, Governor Vijayashankar congratulated NABARD for organising the event and expressed confidence that the State Focus Paper would provide valuable guidance for strengthening agriculture and rural development in Meghalaya. He also encouraged stakeholders to explore opportunities in sericulture, floriculture, horticulture, spice cultivation, and self-help group-based aggregation.
On the occasion, the Governor handed over NABARD sanction letters to banks and NGOs including All Garo Hills Multi-Purpose Cooperative Society, ARISE, and Kalong Kapili for implementing developmental projects in the state.
Presentations by NABARD officials highlighted key interventions and the projections outlined in the State Focus Paper 2026–27, which estimates the priority sector credit potential for Meghalaya at ₹4,499.51 crore for 2026–27, marking a 15.05 per cent increase from the previous year. Of this, ₹1,556.99 crore is projected for agriculture and allied activities, while MSMEs are expected to remain a major driver of economic growth.
The document also emphasises strengthening rural infrastructure, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, improving credit flow in districts with low credit-deposit ratios, and enhancing MSME financing. The projections will guide the State Level Bankers’ Committee (SLBC) in preparing the Annual Credit Plan for 2026–27.
The seminar concluded with an Open House Discussion, allowing banks and stakeholders to share views on improving credit flow at the grassroots level, followed by a vote of thanks proposed by Thangchinkhup Guite, Deputy General Manager, NABARD.
