Shillong, Mar 30: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today stated that Meghalaya was facing a potential loss of nearly ₹2,000 crore annually due to changes in tax devolution in the recently announced Union Budget 2026-27.
However, he said the central government has extended support under Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) to compensate for the shortfall. “This will bring relief to not only Meghalaya, but all the hill states of India, affected by the revised formula,” he said at a programme in Ri Bhoi.
In a post on X, the chief minister thanked Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for creating a new component under SASCI for 2026-27 called ‘Pride of Hills’ through which additional funds are provided to Hilly States.
“This is a special recognition of our unique challenges and the transformative development being undertaken in States like Meghalaya,” he wrote.
The scheme provides ₹ 25,000 crore in special financial assistance to nine Himalayan states to overcome structural challenges like difficult terrain and limited connectivity.
Meghalaya has been allocated ₹ 2,070 crore under the scheme.
Arunachal Pradesh received the highest allocation of ₹ 4,900 crore, followed by Himachal Pradesh with ₹ 3,920 crore, Nagaland ₹3,880 crore, Uttarakhand ₹3,460 crore, and Tripura ₹3,450 crore. Other allocations include Manipur (₹2,400 crore), Meghalaya (₹2,070 crore), Sikkim (₹820 crore), and Mizoram (₹100 crore).
