Shillong, Aug 16: Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma said that Meghalaya is the second fastest-growing state in the country, just after Tamil Nadu.
“Our growth rate for 2024-25 at constant prices is 9.66 per cent, this is double the State’s growth rate of 5.1 per cent in 2018 when the MDA Government came to power,” Sangma said addressing the gathering during the Independence Day celebrations, on Friday.
The Chief Minister also said that Meghalaya is the only state in the country which has achieved a consistent growth rate of about 10 per cent over three consecutive years post the COVID pandemic.
He said that Meghalaya’s growth rate in 2015-16 was 2 per cent, which jumped to 5 per cent in 2016-17. While it dropped by just one per cent in 2017-18 the state climbed back to 5 per cent from 2018-19 and 2019-20.
“In contrast, the growth rate in 2022-23 was 10 per cent, 2023-24 was 11 per cent, and 2024-25 is 10 per cent. This achievement is the result of years of persistence, careful planning, and the hard work of the government,” Sangma said.
Admitting that there are challenges ahead, the Chief Minister said that the state shall overcome them, as was done in the last seven and a half years.
Stating that the state is at a midway point in the 15-year journey from 2018 to 2032, when Meghalaya commemorates 60 years of statehood, he pointed out that in 2018, the GDP was less than Rs. 30,000 crores.
“In seven and a half years, we have doubled the GDP to Rs. 59,626 crores. In the next seven and a half years, we will more than double our GDP from the current Rs. 60,000 crores to Rs. 1,40,000 crores,” Sangma said.
He said that this increased GDP will lead to more jobs for the youth, more opportunities for every citizen, and make Meghalaya one of the top 10 states in the country.
“This is our Vision 2032, and the Government is making every effort to make it a reality,” he pointed out.
The Chief Minister said that his government has made a commitment to deliver them by 2032.
These are improved connectivity and mobility, piped drinking water, reliable power supply, high speed internet connectivity, housing for all, affordable healthcare, nutrition and early childhood development, joyful and quality learning, effective service delivery and grievance redressal, and a caring and empowering state.
“We are working on the ten opportunities, we are promising ten commitments to the citizens, and we will become one of the top ten states in the country by 2032. This is the Mission 10 of this government,” Sangma said.
The Chief Minister also said that the majority of Meghalaya’s population resides in rural areas and is dependent on agriculture and his government is committed to more than doubling the income of the 3.5 lakh farming households and improving their livelihoods.
He also pointed out that the government is working closely with co-operative societies and farmer groups to strengthen food processing, value addition, and exports.
Sangma said that the state government is committed to supporting farmers in distress due to price fluctuations and to support the farmers, the government launched the CM Assure programme.
According to the Chief Minister, crop-specific interventions are happening in Lakadong turmeric, mushroom, Khasi mandarin, strawberry, pineapple, bayleaf, pepper, tomato, potato, and other crops through CM Farm+ and other mission mode interventions and all these initiatives are contributing to Meghalaya’s 10 per cent growth rate.
He also said that the state’s women have been the key drivers of growth. Meghalaya is witnessing a powerful movement of women-led Self-Help Groups.
Sangma said that when he assumed office in 2018, there were just 6000 such groups and today, that number has grown to 53,000, including 40,000 “Lakhpati Kongs and Abis,” – women who earn over Rs. 1 lakh annually through their enterprises.
“Women are also leading Meghalaya’s entrepreneurship story. Women comprise about 47 per cent of the 5,500 beneficiaries supported under the PRIME programme,” he said.
According to him, women leaders are also excelling in grassroots governance owing to the government’s landmark legislation in 2021 reserving seats for women in Village Employment Councils.
“Women’s representation has seen a remarkable rise, from just 300 functionaries before the policy to over 4,500 women leaders today,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said that skilling the youth has been the government’s big priority and in the past few years, it has trained over 30,000 youth in more than 190 different trades, from farming to hospitality, from construction to healthcare.
He said that over 8,600 of skilled youth have become micro entrepreneurs, creating businesses in tailoring, repairs, bakeries, nurseries, and more.
Sangma said that today, Meghalaya’s nurses, caregivers, and skilled workers are earning respect and good incomes in Japan, Singapore, and Germany, each one a proud ambassador of our State.
“By 2032, we will place more than 5,000 skilled youth in international jobs. We will also continue to strengthen opportunities here at home in high-employment sectors like Tourism,” he said.
According to the Chief Minister, over the last seven and a half years, Meghalaya’s progress has been largely driven by public investments, laying a strong foundation for development. He said that in the next seven and a half years of the state’s journey towards 2032, it is time to mobilize the private sector.
“Our goal is to attract Rs. 8,000 crores in private investments, which will play a critical role in driving employment in the coming years,” he said.
