Shillong, August 15 : Meghalaya joined the rest of the country in celebrating the 80th Independence Day on Saturday, with Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma unfurling the National Flag at the Polo Grounds in Shillong and taking the Rashtriya Salute from an impressive march past comprising security forces, police, NCC cadets, school contingents, scouts and guides, and brass bands.
Addressing the gathering, Sangma paid tribute to the leaders of India’s freedom struggle, including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr B.R. Ambedkar and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, while also remembering Meghalaya’s freedom fighters U Tirot Sing, U Kiang Nangbah and Pa Togan Sangma. He also expressed gratitude to the defence forces, paramilitary personnel and police for safeguarding the country, and highlighted the Meghalaya Police receiving the President’s Police Colour, describing it as recognition of the force’s disciplined, professional and citizen-friendly service.
The Chief Minister said Meghalaya had undergone significant transformation over the past eight years and was increasingly being recognised beyond the Northeast for tourism, high-value horticulture, music, sports and participatory governance. He said the government’s development approach had been centred on three broad foundations — protecting and preserving the land, empowering the people and upholding the State’s culture.
Referring to Meghalaya’s living root bridges, which have been selected as India’s nomination for the UNESCO World Heritage List, 2026, Sangma said their creation through patience over generations symbolised the principles of “perseverance, persistence and possibility” that have guided the government’s work.
On environmental conservation, the Chief Minister said Meghalaya has about 76 per cent forest cover and that the GREEN Meghalaya Plus programme has brought around 63,000 hectares of natural forest under conservation, benefiting nearly 6,300 farmers through payments for protecting forests. He said more than 60,000 springs have been mapped for protection, while over 500 large water-harvesting structures are being developed. Rural households with tap-water connections have also risen from about 4,550 in 2019 to 5.47 lakh households, he said.
Sangma also announced that scientific coal mining has begun in Meghalaya, following the Supreme Court’s 2019 affirmation of the rights of private and community landowners over their land and minerals. He said the government is also working on a framework to support small miners and secure their livelihoods.
Highlighting agriculture and rural livelihoods, the Chief Minister said the CM FARM+ programme is supporting more than 25,000 farmers across all 12 districts with high-value, long-gestation crops. He also highlighted the Lakadong, Organic, Floriculture and Ginger Missions, along with crop insurance and market-support initiatives aimed at raising farmers’ incomes. He said Northeast India’s largest organically certified spice-processing unit at Bhoirymbong would process about 10,000 metric tonnes of raw ginger annually and benefit 5,500 farmers across 112 villages, while 40 PRIME HUBS are being established to improve market access.
On health, Sangma said maternal deaths in Meghalaya have declined by more than 56 per cent since 2020, while infant deaths have fallen by nearly 40 per cent. He added that the State has maintained around 90 per cent full immunisation coverage for three consecutive years. Under the Chief Minister’s Safe Motherhood Scheme, vehicles have transported around one lakh pregnant women, including more than 15,800 high-risk mothers, to healthcare facilities.
In the education sector, Sangma said Meghalaya had moved out of the lowest category in the national Performance Grading Index, with its score increasing from 448 to 525 in a single year. He also said the SSLC pass percentage had risen from 57 per cent in 2018 to 97.2 per cent, while the HSSLC pass rate increased from 75 per cent to 86.6 per cent.
The Chief Minister placed particular emphasis on employment and entrepreneurship, saying more than 55,000 youths have been trained under the CM Skills Mission since 2022, while over 3,100 young people have secured jobs in hotels, restaurants, manufacturing and data processing across major Indian cities. He also cited Meghalaya youths who have taken up nursing and caregiving jobs abroad, including in Japan and Singapore.
Sangma said the PRIME programme now supports over 6,000 entrepreneurs, while CM-ELEVATE has supported more than 3,000 beneficiaries. Together, these programmes have generated around 10,000 direct and 25,000 indirect jobs. Tourism arrivals, he said, have grown from around 12 lakh visitors in 2018 to nearly 18 lakh annually, with major destinations being developed to increase community-based economic opportunities.
Turning to sports, the Chief Minister said 240 grassroots sports infrastructure projects have either been completed or are underway, while the STAR Programme has assessed about 24,500 young athletes. As Meghalaya prepares to host the 39th National Games, he said more than 10,000 athletes from across India are expected to compete in nearly 39 disciplines, with Shillong, Tura and Jowai set to play key roles in the national sporting event.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the government’s fight against drug abuse through the DREAM Mission, saying the number of rehabilitation centres in the State had increased from nine in 2018 to 14. He urged young people to take up sports, music and skill development as positive avenues for building their future.
On culture and identity, Sangma announced that the Golden Jubilee of the Wangala Festival would feature 1,000 drums, while the government is also developing a cultural destination at Smit centred around the Nongkrem Dance Festival. He said Khasi and Garo have been granted the status of official languages alongside English, even as the State continues to pursue their inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
The Chief Minister also said Meghalaya has completed three consecutive years without scheduled load-shedding and reduced transmission losses from 30 per cent to 13.2 per cent. Referring to the Assam-Meghalaya boundary issue, he said the 2022 Memorandum of Understanding resolved six of the 12 areas of difference and that efforts would continue to resolve the remaining six.
Sangma further announced that a structured pay framework covering more than 23,000 SSA, ad-hoc and other teachers has been introduced with effect from April 1, 2026. He also highlighted New Shillong as a future centre of governance, knowledge, enterprise, tourism and sports, supported by major infrastructure projects including technology parks, hotels, skilling institutions and improved regional connectivity.
Referring to Vision 2032, Sangma said Meghalaya’s economy has more than doubled since 2018, making it the third fastest-growing State in India over the last five years. While acknowledging that several challenges remain, he urged citizens to “stay optimistic, be patient and aspire high”, saying lasting transformation requires perseverance, participation and purpose.
During the Independence Day programme at Polo Grounds, the Chief Minister presented the District Award of Excellence to James Dean Marbaniang, Superintendent, District Prison & Correctional Home, Shillong; Reviewlet Kylla, Outreach Worker; and Sophiality Marbaniang, DEO of the Child Welfare Committee under the District Child Protection Unit, East Khasi Hills. Sohiong C&RD Block was also awarded for construction of a footpath-cum-viewpoint at Domkopher Mawdngung VEC.
Awards of appreciation were presented to Col Vinay Kumar, Director, Army Recruiting Office, Shillong; 93-year-old Naik Jedro Thabah (Retd.), who enrolled in the 5th Battalion of the Assam Regiment in 1951; and 93-year-old Col Memorialda Nongsiej (Retd.), who was commissioned into the Military Nursing Service in 1974.
In the March Past competition, Holy Cross Higher Secondary School secured first position, followed by St. Edmund’s Higher Secondary School and St. John Higher Secondary School. In the Brass Band category, St. Mary’s Higher Secondary School secured first position and St. Margaret’s Higher Secondary School finished second.
The celebration also featured cultural performances by Synod Higher Secondary School, Mary Mount School and BSF Higher Secondary School.
The Police Medal for Meritorious Service was announced for H.G. Lyngdoh, Commandant, 1st MLP Battalion, Mawiong; Abraham T. Sangma, Superintendent of Police, West Garo Hills; and Kmenlang Suting, Havildar, 3rd MLP Battalion. The Medal for Meritorious Service was also announced for Lathindro D. Sangma, Havildar of the Civil Defence and Home Guards Department.
