Meghalaya

In a development that could change the face of Meghalaya’s agricultural economy, the state on Wednesday launched its first aseptic pulp processing unit at Nonglum village in Ri-Bhoi district. The initiative, spearheaded by the Jirang Organic Agro Farmer’s Producer Company, marks a significant leap for farmers who have steadily transformed their small cooperative into a thriving agribusiness. The facility was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh in the presence of local MLA Sosthenes Sohtun. Addressing a gathering of farmers and community members, Lyngdoh lauded the resilience of the state’s farming community. “Our farmers are essential to society. Without you all, we would not be able to complete our homes,” she remarked, underscoring the government’s commitment to ensurin...

Meghalaya Chief Minister made a strong case for administrative independence during a high-stakes meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 4, highlighting the state's unique position as the only region in India operating under a joint cadre system. The chief minister emphasised that Meghalaya remains the sole state sharing administrative officers with another state through the existing Meghalaya-Assam cadre arrangement. "No other state in the country has got a joint cadre," the chief minister stated, urging Shah to consider segregating the cadres to provide Meghalaya with dedicated administrative officials. Beyond administrative reforms, the meeting addressed critical cultural and security concerns. The chief minister renewed demands for including the Garo and Khasi langu...

The North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) yet again failed to make its mark in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings 2025, failing to be placed among top 100 universities in India despite being a central university. Once considered as a premier institute in Northeast, NEHU has failed to secure a spot in a bracket which is considered standard for a university established under the act of parliament. The university rankings and standards seems to be deteriorating due to so many factors, including student politics and too much interference by student bodies and unions, thereby affecting the smooth functioning of the university. While Guwahati University showed exceptional performance by securing 9th spot among best state universities, and 33 among all universities...

In a historic breakthrough, researchers at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Meghalaya have successfully designed and fabricated the state’s first-ever integrated chip (IC), marking a significant stride in India’s semiconductor journey.The achievement, made under the Special Manpower Development Program (SMDP) of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), was led by faculty members Dr. Prabir Saha, Dr. Shubhankar Majumdar, and Dr. Pradeep Kumar Rathore, with PhD scholars Geetima Kachari, Parishmita Goswami, and Deibaphira Suchiang. The team developed a Finite State Machine (FSM) chip, fabricated at the Semiconductor Laboratory (SCL) foundry using a 180nm process. Designed to provide precise control in irrigation systems and tensiometers, the chip holds pro...

Meghalaya has received fresh development support worth nearly Rs 96 crore from the North Eastern Council (NEC) during August, with major allocations directed towards boosting rural markets, education, and community welfare. The largest share of the funding will go to establishing farmers’ markets across the state — Rs 4.47 crore for 20 smaller markets and another Rs 4.45 crore for 10 larger ones. These markets are expected to strengthen local agri-business by giving farmers better access to consumers and stabilising farm incomes. In addition, Rs 48.87 lakh has been sanctioned for the construction of a new school building in Mawthadraishan, West Khasi Hills, while over Rs 17 lakh has been released for community development programmes for the Tiwa (Lalung) community in Ri-Bhoi district. ...

The Shillong Medical College will start functioning from September 26. Briefing reporters on Wednesday, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said 50 seats will be allocated to Shillong Medical College, out of which 85 percent will be for the state students and the remaining 15 percent will be for all-India students. The annual fees per student will be Rs 30,000. Ampareen said the Chief Minister is trying to invite the Prime Minister to inaugurate the first medical college.

The Meghalaya High Court has instructed the state government to urgently provide land and financial support for establishing crematoria and cemeteries across the state. A division bench of Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh issued the order on Tuesday, following a report from the court-appointed Committee, which met on August 27. The Committee had resolved to set up district-level bodies and move the government to allocate resources for the project. The bench emphasized the urgency of the matter, directing the Committee to expedite the process and ensure coordination with district-level committees, which will function strictly under its supervision. It also asked the Committee to hold frequent meetings to help religious groups work out arrangements for sharing crematori...

The High Court of Meghalaya has disposed of a public interest litigation (PIL) after the State government reported that there are no illegal religious structures existing in public places. A division bench comprising Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh passed the order on September 2. The case was initiated following a directive from the Supreme Court, which had required States to disclose the presence of unlawful religious structures on public land. In response, the State of Meghalaya submitted a status report dated September 1, 2025. According to the report, all structures previously identified as irregular or illegal in West Garo Hills and East Garo Hills have been regularised. Additional Advocate General K Khan, representing the State, informed the court of the compl...

The 14th edition of the India-Thailand joint military exercise, 'Maitree-XIV', focusing on counter-terrorist operations in semi-urban terrain, began here on Tuesday. The Indian Army contingent, comprising 120 personnel, is being represented by a battalion of the Madras Regiment, while the Royal Thai Army is represented by 53 personnel from its 1st Infantry Battalion, 14th Infantry Brigade. The fortnight-long exercise aims to bolster defence cooperation, interoperability and mutual understanding between the Indian Army and the Royal Thai Army, an official said. The training programme places emphasis on counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations — two domains where both nations share common security concerns. With the backdrop of regional instability and the growing importance o...

The Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival 2025 is set to open with a star-studded line-up, featuring Moroccan-born performer Nora Fatehi in her first-ever stage show in India, alongside American singer Jason Derulo and popular band The Script. Widely known for her performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Fatehi's appearance adds global glamour to the festival, which will be staged at JN Stadium. The approach road to Polo Ground will be pedestrianised, creating a walk-through experience of stalls and displays leading to the venue. The stadium is expected to host up to 30,000 visitors, with over 9,000 tickets already sold to tourists outside Meghalaya. The festival has been relocated from Ward's Lake and Polo Grounds after Kurkalang Ground was earmarked for a new cricket stadium. Last year'...