Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi today, along with State Cabinet Ministers and Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. The delegation discussed the state’s development agenda and sought continued support from the Centre for Externally Aided Projects (EAPs).
The Chief Minister apprised Prime Minister Modi that EAPs were very critical for the state’s development. He said that Meghalaya has embarked on an ambitious goal of becoming a USD 10 billion economy within the next five years, and to achieve this target, the state requires to double its economy through investment in physical and social infrastructure.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has actively pursued private investments and aimed to foster a robust private sector. However, he said that inherent challenges related to land tenure systems, remoteness, and rugged terrain have constrained private investments. Therefore, public investments, including those from EAPs, are crucial to boost the state’s economy.
The Chief Minister informed Prime Minister Modi that the state government has successfully posed and received approvals for several projects under the EAP scheme. Presently, eight projects worth Rs. 5,855 Crores (loan component Rs. 4,266 Crores) are being implemented, while another ten projects in the preparatory phase hold an estimated project cost of Rs. 5,721 Crores (loan component Rs. 4,610 Crores). The total project cost of ongoing and posed projects stands at approximately Rs. 11,576 Crores, covering sectors such as Roads, Tourism, Power distribution, Agriculture marketing, Skill Development, Healthcare, Water harvesting, and Climate resilience.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the state’s ‘lifecycle approach’ model for children, which is aimed at ensuring that every child receives the necessary support at every stage of their life. He said that the model has been lauded by Prime Minister Modi, who has assured all support from the Centre for its implementation.
The Chief Minister also sought the Centre’s support for other development initiatives in the state, such as the expansion of the state’s healthcare infrastructure, the promotion of tourism, and the development of agriculture.
Prime Minister Modi assured the Chief Minister of all possible support from the Centre for the development of Meghalaya. He said that the state has a bright future and that the Centre is committed to helping it achieve its full potential.
