Meghalaya

Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the newly constructed Boarding Building at Pine Mount School in the presence of Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, fulfilling a promise he had made to students nearly three years ago. Pine Mount School is widely regarded as one of the oldest and most prestigious girls’ boarding schools in Shillong, and the upgrade marks a significant milestone in the institution’s infrastructure. The inauguration brought back memories of the Chief Minister’s visit to the school in October 2022, when students had raised concerns about poor hostel conditions, including leaking roofs, damaged floors, and unsafe living spaces. Following that visit, the Chief Minister had directed immediate intervention and assured students that the boarding facilities wo...

The ongoing power struggle within the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) has taken a dramatic legal turn. The Meghalaya High Court has passed an interim order suspending the Special General Meeting (SGM) that was scheduled for July 3. The urgent ruling follows an application filed by MCA President James PK Sangma, who has been locked in a protracted battle for control of the association against Honorary Secretary Rayonald Kharkamni. The underlying conflict heavily intensified after the Meghalaya State Commission for Women found that Kharkamni had failed to act on a sexual harassment complaint filed by members of the Under-23 women’s cricket team. Citing this severe administrative failure, Sangma suspended Kharkamni. However, the Secretary faction, backed by members of the Apex Council...

Principal Secretary of Labour, Employment and Skill Development, Government of Meghalaya, Frederick R. Kharkongor, on Tuesday called for stronger collaboration between industry and educational institutions to transform technical and vocational education in Meghalaya under the PM-SETU initiative.Addressing an Industry Outreach and Awareness Programme on Pradhan Mantri Skilling and Employability Transformation through Upgraded ITIs, or PM-SETU, Kharkongor said skilled people, and not just infrastructure and technology, are the foundation of a strong economy.He cited Meghalaya's living root bridges as an example of indigenous engineering skills and stressed the need to build on such strengths to create new opportunities for the state's youth.Kharkongor said the programme was not merely about...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday reiterated that governance must ultimately serve the people, stating that development is meaningful only when it directly improves citizens’ lives.Sangma made these remarks while addressing a felicitation programme organised by the Joint Action Committee to acknowledge the Government’s One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for commercial vehicles.During the programme, the organisers felicitated the Chief Minister along with Deputy Chief Ministers Prestone Tynsong and Snaiwbhalang Dhar in recognition of their role in implementing the scheme.Addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister noted that while politicians are often criticised when expectations are not met, appreciation for decisions that positively impact lives is rare.“When there is...

Reforms in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) are in an advanced stage, with service rules expected to be ready for implementation by September 1, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Tuesday. He stated that nearly 18 service rules for various departments in each council are being finalised in coordination with the state finance teams. The Chief Minister said the reforms are part of an administrative and financial restructuring process agreed upon by the GHADC and JHADC in return for financial support from the state government to address salary arrears and other liabilities. He clarified that the reforms will not affect cultural matters of the autonomous councils. Sangma said a new online revenue collection sys...

The Army has approved the alignment of the proposed four-lane road from Rilbong to Barik, clearing a major hurdle in the crucial urban infrastructure project. Informing this on Tuesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said he would meet Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to push for final approval of the project. Meanwhile, he said, the government is working out the alignment for the Umiam–Shillong four-lane project, which has both greenfield and brownfield sections, to improve traffic flow into the capital. Recalling that several projects were announced during Gadkari’s recent visit to Shillong, Sangma said, “There were many new projects that he had promised, but a few projects were left for further discussion, including the four-lane road from Rilbong to Barik.” To m...

The Meghalaya State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB) on JUne 30 said an inspection of an ethanol and distillery unit in Byrnihat found no violation of prescribed emission standards, dismissing allegations that the plant was contributing to environmental pollution. The inspection was carried out after social media posts raised concerns over alleged pollution from M/s Umiam Distillation Pvt. Ltd., located at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) in Byrnihat. The industrial town had recently drawn international attention after being ranked the world's most polluted metropolitan area in the 2024 World Air Quality Report released by Swiss air quality monitoring firm IQAir. Acting suo motu without waiting for a formal complaint, the MSPCB deputed its task force to inspect the unit...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday launched the “Achievers of the Month” programme, a flagship initiative aimed at recognising outstanding individuals and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship across the State.The initiative is designed to create a platform where achievers from different sectors can share their journeys, inspire others, and showcase the impact of government interventions in enabling growth and innovation.Launching the programme, the Chief Minister highlighted that while the government plays the role of a facilitator by creating policies, infrastructure, and support systems, it is entrepreneurship that ultimately drives economic growth.“Government creates the base, but it is entrepreneurship that makes the economy take off,” he said, adding that “entrepr...

In a move aimed at strengthening the functioning of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the state, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday reviewed the various reform initiatives being undertaken in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) and Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).“As part of our efforts to strengthen the Autonomous District Councils, we had recently asked them to work closely with the Government to modernise their systems and introduce key reforms. Glad that the two Councils accepted the proposals and the reform process has now begun,” Sangma later posted on social media.The Chief Minister said the reforms would focus on service rules, finance, administrative processes and digitisation to make the Councils more efficient, transpare...