Meghalaya

Meghalaya's Nandini Ishvi O. Sangma, a Political Science student of Don Bosco College, Tura, represented India at the 13th Commonwealth Youth Parliament (CYP) in Sydney, Australia, where she highlighted Meghalaya's unique identity while advocating for equality, democracy and the responsible use of artificial intelligence. Participating alongside delegates from across the Commonwealth, Nandini delivered two speeches showcasing Meghalaya's matrilineal society, living root bridges, natural heritage and cultural identity. She described the state as one of the wettest places on Earth and the "Rock Capital of India." During her addresses, Nandini spoke about Meghalaya’s matrilineal society, living root bridges, status as one of the wettest places on Earth, and its tag as the “Rock Capital...

The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) staged a protest outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), demanding the resignation of Vice-Chancellor-in-Charge Prof Saroj Kanta Barik. The HYC alleged that Prof Barik’s appointment as VC-in-Charge violated provisions of the NEHU Act, claiming that the senior-most professor should have been given charge of the university. HYC leaders said they would meet Prof Barik to discuss the matter and decide their next course of action based on the outcome of the meeting. The Centre has approved handing over the charge of Vice-Chancellor of North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) to Prof Saroj Kanta Barik, the second senior-most professor at the university's Department of Botany, after the tenure of the incumbent Vi...

Advancing its resolute commitment to eradicate substance abuse and empower the youth, the Social Welfare Department, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the Drug Reduction Elimination & Action Mission (DREAM), successfully hosted a comprehensive Anti-Drugs Awareness Programme today. Held at the State Guest House, Taraghar, the event was anchored by the powerful theme, “Pulse of the Hills: Every Beat Against Drugs.”Organized under the patronage of Shri Conrad K. Sangma, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, the programme underscored the State’s broader goal of building a resilient, healthy, and drug-free Meghalaya through community participation, youth engagement, and systemic intervention.The event was graced by Bah Paul Lyngdoh, Adviser to the Government of Meghalaya, Socia...

The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly's five-day Autumn Session will be held from August 24 to 28 after the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) unanimously approved the schedule on July 31, with Speaker Thomas A Sangma assuring legislators that members from both the treasury and opposition benches would have adequate opportunities to raise matters of public importance. The assurance came amid concerns over the limited duration of the session, which will comprise three days of government business and two days reserved for private members' business. "I will try my best to accommodate all the members concerned and ensure that every member gets an opportunity to express their concerns on the floor of the House," the Speaker told reporters after the BAC meeting. The meeting was attended by...

The Committee on Public Undertakings of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Thursday reviewed the status of loan recoveries involving public sector undertakings and examined observations raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India regarding the implementation of the Saubhagya and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) schemes. The meeting, chaired by Committee Chairperson Charles Marngar MLA, discussed financial recoveries and irregularities related to various cases. The committee reviewed the loan account of CMJ Breweries Pvt Ltd, noting that repayment remained unsatisfactory. Against a principal loan amount of Rs 61.94 crore, only Rs 23.98 crore has been repaid, while around Rs 29 crore remains outstanding. The Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation ...

Meghalaya has completed the house-to-house enumeration phase of the 2026 Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, with election officials reporting that all 23,49,645 electors across the state have been covered and their Enumeration Forms distributed and digitised. According to the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), the exercise marks a key milestone in preparing a "clean, accurate and inclusive Electoral Roll" for the state. The digitised data shows that 7,75,337 electors (33%) have been mapped as Self, linking their records directly to the 2005 SIR database, while 11,69,670 electors (49.78%) have been mapped as Progeny, with records linked to those of their parents or grandparents. A further 2,24,234 electors (9.54%) could not be linked to the 2005 databas...

The state government has sought to allay public concern over the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project, stating that the project has all statutory approvals and will be implemented taking all environmental and community safeguards. The Rs 151-crore ropeway will be built as part of the PM-DevINE scheme with New Development Bank contributing Rs 80.89 crore and the DoNER Ministry providing the rest Rs 70.11 crore. Work on the 896-metre ropeway, which will have 13 cabins built to European CEN standards, is slated to begin on 15 October 2026, according to Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority (MRDA) under the Tourism Department. MRDA officials said the project aims to offer tourists a better commuting option while also creating local jobs and reducing vehicular traffic, and thereby emission...

The Meghalaya government has directed all administrative departments to stop organising felicitation ceremonies for the chief minister, deputy chief ministers, ministers and other state dignitaries during official government programmes. In a circular issued by the Personnel and A.R. (A) Department on July 29, the government said no felicitation of the chief minister, deputy chief minister(s), ministers or other state dignitaries should be organised at any state government event. The order, issued by the governor, allows an exception only when a Union minister or a foreign dignitary is invited to attend a state government programme. The government said administrative departments may instead felicitate two or three representatives from the public at such events. If considered appro...

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) has launched a two-day trial of advanced air purifiers in Byrnihat as part of efforts to address worsening air pollution in the industrial town. The trial, conducted at two locations on Wednesday, is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the WARO C6, a solar-powered air purification system developed by Mumbai-based Zero Carbon Tech24 Pvt. Ltd. The WARO C6 is designed to draw in polluted ambient air, filter harmful pollutants, and release up to 30 litres of clean air per second. According to MSPCB officials, the initial trial demonstrated a noticeable reduction in pollution levels in the immediate surroundings, suggesting that the technology could help improve local air quality. Following a review meeting, Cabinet Minister and Jir...

The National People's Party (NPP) on Wednesday said it is yet to receive clarity from the Centre on whether the amendments proposed by the party, along with church leaders, to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) Bill have been accepted. Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister and NPP State President Prestone Tynsong said the party would decide its stand on the Bill only after receiving a clear response from the Central Government. According to Tynsong, the NPP has raised concerns over certain provisions in the proposed legislation that could affect churches and religious institutions. He said the party had submitted its suggested amendments in consultation with church leaders and is now awaiting the Centre's decision. "The National People's Party, along with chu...