The State government has proposed an overall development budget of Rs 2,461 crore for the infrastructure sector including Rs 893 crore from the State’s resources in this year’s budget.
Road connectivity has got the maximum budgetary outlay in the State budget presented by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today. This includes an overall development budget of Rs 1,080 crore for the road and bridge sector in 2021-22.
While presenting the budget in the Assembly today, Sangma informed that projects covering a road length of about 337 kilometres at an amount of Rs 742 crore have been taken up for construction under the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project (MITP) funded by the World Bank. He also said that the State government has proposed to allocate Rs 110 crore in 2021-22 for this project.
Sangma also said that the government made an allocation of Rs 50 crore for periodic maintenance of roads in the State. He informed that under this programme some very important roads like the Umtyngngar-Sohra Road at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crore, Agia-Medhipara-Phulbari-Tura Road at Rs 8 crore and the Mawphlang-Balat Road at Rs 6 crore have been taken up for systematic maintenance.
The chief minister said that this important scheme for periodic maintenance of roads will continue in 2021-22 and Rs 50 crore has been allocated for the same.
For the water supply sector, the budget has doubled the allocation for the sector to Rs 802 crore for 2021-22.
Stating that the State government is committed to provide safe drinking water to every rural household through functional household tap connections by the end of 2022, Sangma said the State government is allotting Rs 540 crore in the next financial year for the implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission. Out of this, Rs 42 crore is from State resources.
To complete the major water supply schemes being implemented across the State, the State government has earmarked Rs 10 crore for the Greater Sohra Water Supply Scheme, Rs 25 crore for the Nongstoin Water Supply Scheme, Rs 25 crore for the Greater Shillong water supply schemes, and Rs 20 crore for the Greater Baghmara water supply scheme.
An amount of Rs 50 crore was allocated for installation of smart meters and for strengthening the power distribution network. According to Sangma, under the Meghalaya Power Distribution Sector Improvement Project, an amount of Rs 980 crore is being invested for the installation of smart meters and for strengthening the power distribution network.
“The government is keen to get the 22.5 Mega Watt Ganol Small Hydro Power project operational. This will be the first generation project in the Garo Hills. An investment of Rs 50 crore from State resources has been made this year. I expect the project to be completed by September 2022,” Sangma said.
Other critical infrastructure projects include construction of a helipad at New Shillong Township and establishing the Institute of Driving and Traffic Research, for which the government has allocated Rs 20 crore each in 2021-22.
An amount of Rs 50 crore each has been allocated for the development of Tura and Jowai as smart towns. Further, an amount of Rs 9 crore has been earmarked for completion of the Technology Park at Umsawli, New Shillong.
The government has also allocated Rs 200 crore for sports and youth affairs for the next financial year. Under the comprehensive programme for skilling called ‘One Meghalaya’every youth of the State will be supported to take up one skill and one talent.
“The skill and talent providers will also be from within the State leading to entrepreneurship and employment. The programme will cover about 50,000 youth in 2021-22,” Sangma said even as he allotted Rs 30 crore for this programme. The government has also allocated an additional Rs 10 crore for taking up various youth related activities in the State.
For the mega sports infrastructure projects costing Rs 300 crore at Tura, Shillong and Wahiajer which are at different stages of implementation, the State government has allocated Rs 120 crore for these projects for the next financial year.
“Other than these major projects, we are also undertaking about 100 sports infrastructure projects in rural areas at a cost of Rs 70 crore,” Sangma said adding that many of these projects have already been tendered and an amount of Rs 50 crore has been allocated for the next financial year for these projects.
For the tourism sector, the budgetary allocation is Rs 100 crore for 2021-22. According to the chief minister, an amount of Rs 114 crore will be spent for tourism infrastructure creation under the Government of India’s flagship programs of Swadesh Darshan and PRASAD.
“We are working on creating niche products that can attract high value tourism with minimal ecological footprint,” Sangma said.
He informed that the process for setting up of the Shillong peak ropeway is under way and Rs 30 crore has been allocated for this project for 2021-22.
Sangma said that a new scheme for construction of home-stays, restaurants, cafes and other related infrastructure will be implemented in convergence with the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP). Under the scheme, each entrepreneur will be provided a subsidy of 70 per cent towards projects costing upto Rs 20 lakh.
“35 per cent subsidy will be provided by PMEGP and the other 35 per cent will be provided by the State government. We are planning to build around 200 home-stays and other related infrastructure under this scheme next year,” he said while allocating Rs 5 crore for this scheme.
“In addition to infrastructure, we are focusing on niche tourism products around art, craft and music. We have already begun with the Ateliers programme wherein the local craft entrepreneurs are identified and provided Rs 5 lakh of grant support. Continuing with this, we are formulating a systematic program for engaging and supporting the musicians and music industry,” Sangma said.
He also informed that consultations with the music stakeholder have already begun and the State government has allocated Rs 5 crore towards this initiative.
For increasing the frequency of direct flight from Shillong to Delhi to twice a week, the State government has allocated Rs 5 crore for provision of viability gap funding for this project. “Beginning April 2021 we will increase the frequency of this flight to twice a week. I am certain that this would give a huge boost to tourism in the State,” Sangma said.
An amount of Rs 20 crore has been allocated towards organising all the events related to the 50th anniversary of Meghalaya’s statehood. Informing this, Sangma said a number of programmes will be held to celebrate the State and its people.
“These programmes will be implemented by the different departments and a high level committee under my chairmanship has been set up to coordinate all the efforts. We will have literature, arts and culture festivals, sporting events, school and college level competitions involving children and the youth and celebratory campaigns on our history and heritage. The task force for the documentation of 50 years of Meghalaya, under the chairmanship of Prof. David R. Syiemlieh, has already started work,” Sangma said.
To boost entrepreneurship, Sangma said the government plans to construct 15 more PRIME hubs in the next financial year and a total of 50 hubs by the end of 2022 with a budget of Rs 20 crore for this initiative.
“This year we created the PRIME Fund with a corpus of Rs 25 crore under which Startup grants and Scale up loans are being provided to entrepreneurs. The first tranche of the grants and the zero interest loans of Rs 1.2 crore has already been disbursed to 13 entrepreneurs. This programme will be broad based and more applications shall be invited over the next few months. Another crucial enabler for a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem is access to timely, adequate and affordable credit,” Sangma said adding that the government has allocated Rs 10 crore for the next financial year for improving banking coverage in the State.
For rural poverty alleviation, the government has proposed a total allotment of Rs 1,138 crore for 2021-22. Further, an amount of Rs 217 crore has been budgeted for sustainability focused programmes and projects which include the ongoing IFAD funded Megha-LAMP project, the World Bank funded CLLMP Project and the JICA funded Project for Community-Based Forest Management and Livelihood Improvement.
A project for eco-restoration of Sohra area is also being conceptualised and the government has allocated Rs 25 crore for the same. Under this project, the government would take up dense plantations using the Miyawaki method, plantations of fuel wood and aromatic grasses and other soil and water conservation works.
An amount of Rs 10 crore has been allocated in the budget for the Meghalaya Enterprise Architecture Project under which the functioning of the planning and the finance departments is being completely revamped.
“All processing of project proposals, submissions of bills and release of funds will be done electronically from the next financial year. We are computerising all the 1,200 plus Drawing and Disbursing Offices of the State. This reform will transform the overall efficiency of the government,” Sangma said.
The budget also allocated Rs 15 crore for construction of block complexes in the new community and rural development blocks. Further, an amount of Rs 80 crore has been allocated for strengthening police infrastructure for the next financial year. This includes upgradation of police stations, residential quarters and battalion complexes.
