Tax revenues in Meghalaya have more than doubled since 2018 under the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma boasted today.
The figures have jumped from Rs 1,450 crore in 2018, when Sangma took charge as CM, to Rs 3,217 crore now, suggesting a growing economy and the plugging of revenue loss gaps.
Sangma referenced these figures during the first of its kind live session pre-budget consultation for the 2025-26 financial year.
The CM also revealed that excise revenue in particular has increased by 2.5 times from Rs 199 crore to Rs 458 crore in the last six years and excise revenue is expected to further rise to Rs 520 crore in this financial year.
“This is a reflection of our policies and commitments that this government is showing,” Sangma, who also holds the finance portfolio, said. “I think the number here proves that from Rs 199 crore to Rs 500 crore reflects the commitment of this government to plug the loopholes that are there and numbers are showing that our efforts are yielding results where our excise revenue has almost tripled in the last six years.”
Greater revenues are allowing the state to spend and invest more for future growth, with the CM pointing to the increase in education sector expenditure from Rs 1,085 crore to Rs 2,338 crore, another doubling. In the last four years, nearly 2,500 schools have seen infrastructure improvements in terms of new or renovated buildings, he added.
“The infrastructure for lower primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary colleges and all government school infrastructures have got a huge push and huge investments have been made by the government to ensure proper infrastructure and upgradation is there,” Sangma stated.
Moreover, he said that his government has set up 23 ‘Peoples Colleges’ and a state university and the government is also sanctioning the manpower for an engineering college, architectural college, science college, commerce college, model college. In addition, the CM also announced that the Shillong Medical College will be made operational from September-October this year, with the government working on activating a medical college in Tura as well.
The meeting was to seek suggestions from all stakeholders ahead of the Budget Session, which will be held from February 28 to March 13. The Chief Minister will present the Budget on March 5.
The participants represented different sectors including education, agriculture, academia, economists, civil society and media.
During the three-hour long session, Sangma responded to the suggestions and queries by participants from different sectors, including online viewers. He also suggested that the citizens can submit their specific queries through the CM Connect helpline.
