Meghalaya CM attends pre-budget meet in Jaisalmer, proposes Rs 10,000 crore aid for Northeast

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma attended the pre-budget consultations with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan where he raised key demands.

During the meeting, the Meghalaya CM proposed the demand of Rs 10,000 crore aid under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme benefitting the Northeastern states, excluding Assam, with an aim to boost development and enhance human development indicators.

Highlighting that the region faces higher infrastructure costs, CM Sangma further sought assistance of Rs 1,50,000 crore for the upcoming fiscal year, aiming better economy and improved quality of life.

CM Sangma also presented a memorandum highlighting Meghalaya’s developmental needs. He further proposed establishing 1,000 Citizen Digital Service Delivery Centers to address the digital divide and enhance service access, especially in remote areas. He also suggested using the SASCI scheme to create 1,000 VO service delivery centers to empower women-led SHGs and support rural banking expansion to address service gaps in Meghalaya. 

Meanwhile, the Meghalaya chief minister highlighted disparities in urban development schemes like AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0, noting that NE states receive only 2.68 per cent of the total funds, a figure that drops to 1.52 per cent when excluding Assam. He proposed increasing the allocation for urban development and introducing a dedicated budget to address the unique infrastructure challenges of hilly cities.

The CM also proposed a 50-50 cost-sharing arrangement for operation and maintenance under the Jal Jeevan Mission for the next two to three years. Additionally, he advocated for enhancing women-led micro-enterprises through the Lakhpati Didi initiative, recommending an increase in the loan limit for Self-Help Groups from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.