Meghalaya

The state government is optimistic that the recently approved Meghalaya Parking Policy 2025 will help in reducing traffic jams drastically in Shillong. Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said the parking policy will be rolled out soon and for the time being, the administration and police are adopting various measures to ease traffic congestion. He exuded confidence that with the establishment of the new administrative city in New Shillong in the next 3-4 years, traffic would reduce further in the city. The Meghalaya Parking Policy aims to regulate street parking in the city and lays out provisions for allowing parking on the roadside against payment. Dhar resented the opposition to demolition of structures to pave way for a less congested city and made it clear that the governmen...

The Central Government has disbursed the final installment of the Umbrella Scheme of Post-Matric Scholarship for ST Students for the academic session 2023-2024, amounting to ₹85.08 crore. Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the release on Friday, stating that the funds would be credited to students' bank accounts within the next one to two days. According to the Chief Minister, a total of 76,755 students applied for the scholarship this year. The first installment of ₹42.32 crore was released on June 24, 2024, benefiting 17,364 students, followed by the second installment of ₹66.67 crore on November 20, 2024, which covered 32,064 students. With today's final disbursement, 27,327 more students have received their scholarship amounts, ensuring full financial support...

The East Jaintia Hills District (EJHD) of Meghalaya has taken a decisive step in addressing substance abuse among adolescents while fostering youth aspirations through the "ia ka Mynried" initiative. Spearheaded by the District Administration and supported by the District Mineral Foundation, the initiative has successfully conducted winter camps across 11 educational institutions, impacting 1,826 students to date.  The latest certification events were held on Tuesday at longkaluh for 247 students of St. Peter Secondary School and at Byndihati for 126 students of Sacred Heart Secondary School and 315 students of Byndihati Secondary School. Santa Mary Shylla, Member of Legislative Assembly, Sutnga-Saipung Constituency, attended as the Chief Guest at Sacred Heart Secondary School, Byndi...

The East Khasi Hills District administration has imposed a strict ban on forest burning in response to rising wildfire incidents in the region. The prohibitory order, issued by District Magistrate RM Kurbah on March 19 under Section 163 of the BNSS Act, takes immediate effect. The order cites concerns over rampant and unattended forest burning, which has been a major cause of wildfires, leading to environmental degradation and threats to human safety. "It is necessary to ensure public safety and protect our forests from further damage," the order states. Authorities have also warned that violators will be prosecuted under Section 223 of the BNSS Act. The ban will remain in force until further notice, with the administration intensifying monitoring efforts to prevent forest fires. Th...

The Shillong Cantonment Board is working on a strategy to relocate hawkers and vendors operating in the cantonment areas. Shillong Cantonment Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ayush Maurya, acknowledged that the issue extends beyond the cantonment areas and affects the entire city of Shillong. While recognising that it is also a matter of livelihood, he stated that the vendors occupying roadsides cannot simply be ignored, especially given existing court guidelines on the matter. “We have to provide them with an alternative location,” he said, adding that the board is actively formulating a relocation plan for hawkers within the cantonment area. It is worth noting that a significant number of hawkers have encroached upon roads and pavements in areas like Jhalupara and Paltan Bazar...

Twenty finalists from the District-Level Viksit Bharat Youth Parliament Festival 2025, organized by North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, will compete in the state-level debate at the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly later this month. The winners of the state-level event will earn the opportunity to represent Meghalaya at the national-level competition in the Indian Parliament. The district-level competition saw participation from over 142 students from East Khasi Hills and Eastern West Khasi Hills districts. Over five sessions, contestants debated governance, economy, national security, and social progress, with four winners selected from each session by a panel of distinguished academics and educationists. Guest of Honour F. Rumnong highlighted the event’s role in nurturin...

Three individuals, including members of an organised human trafficking network smuggling people from Bangladesh to India, were arrested in Ri-Bhoi district on Tuesday evening. Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Police, Vivekanand Singh Rathore, stated that the arrests were made based on credible information that Bangladeshi nationals were travelling from the Dawki border to Guwahati in a vehicle. A naka checkpoint was set up near Byrnihat Outpost, where authorities intercepted the vehicle (AS-01-FJ-4645). Two occupants, Jannati Sheikh (26) from Khulna, Bangladesh — who was found in possession of a forged Indian Aadhaar card — and the driver, Raushan Khan from Barpeta, Assam, were taken into custody. During interrogation, both admitted to being part of an organised network involved in traffickin...

The Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA), in collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), conducted a state-level earthquake mock drill at the State Convention Centre in Shillong to bolster emergency response capabilities. The exercise aimed to assess resources, improve infrastructure, and enhance coordination among disaster response agencies. M War Nongbri, Commissioner & Secretary of the Revenue & Disaster Management Department, stressed the importance of proactive disaster preparedness, while NDMA Member Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.) emphasized the need for a systematic and community-focused approach to disaster management. The event included online presentations from 11 districts, highlighting preparedness strategies. A Table...