Meghalaya

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday reaffirmed the Government’s vision for sports development, stating that the long-term vision would be to make Shillong the football capital of India. “Our vision is clear—we want Meghalaya, and Shillong in particular, to become the football capital of India,” Sangma said after launching the 2026 football season of the Shillong Sports Association (SSA) at the SSA Ground. He said that while investment in infrastructure remains important, equal emphasis must be placed on developing human capital in sports. “We must invest in our players, our coaches, our tournaments, and our leagues. Whether at the city level, district level, or eventually even at the block level, we must create opportunities for young boys and girls to compete, g...

Tension gripped the premises of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council as hundreds of residents from Hima Sohra staged a protest, waving red flags and demanding the Council to issue a sanad to the Syiem chosen by the Hima. Protesters raised slogans against the Executive Committee led by the VPP, questioning its understanding of traditional customs and authority. After nearly an hour of demonstration, it was learnt that the Executive Committee agreed to invite around 20 representatives from Hima Sohra for discussions. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as talks are expected to address the ongoing standoff between the Council and the Hima.

The road to the 39th National Games 2027 reached a significant milestone this week as the Central Government conducted a rigorous two-day review of Meghalaya’s infrastructure and operational readiness. Kunal K, Joint Secretary (Sports–Development) in the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, visited the state on May 5 and 6 to assess the progress of critical venues and ensure that the state is on track to host one of the most prestigious sporting events in the country. During his inspection, the Joint Secretary visited several key locations, including the iconic J.N. Sports Complex, the Integrated Hospitality & Sports Complex, and the Mawkhanu Football Stadium. The visit was designed to verify that the ongoing construction and renovation projects align with national standards for...

Prestone Tynsong on Thursday said the state government has moved the Meghalaya High Court in connection with the Sonam case after a lower court granted bail. Speaking to reporters, Tynsong said the government would refrain from making further comments as the matter is now before the higher court. “Now I should not comment anything on that because we have already appealed to the higher court, to the Honorable High Court, so let the court decide because we contested against the bail… let us wait and we’ll see what the High Court says,” he said. Responding to allegations of lapses against the police, Tynsong defended the investigation and maintained that due procedures were followed throughout the case. He said the Special Investigation Team and police officials were “well equipped” t...

Starting with the 2026-27 academic session, students seeking admission to undergraduate courses in government colleges across Meghalaya will have to apply exclusively through the Meghalaya Common Admission Portal (MCAP). A notification issued by the Commissioner & Secretary in-charge Education Vijay Kumar Mantri on Wednesday said, “The Governor of Meghalaya is pleased to notify that, with effect from the academic session 2026-27, all admissions to Government Colleges in the State shall be conducted exclusively through the Meghalaya Common Admission Portal (MCAP).” “All eligible students seeking admission to undergraduate programmes in Government Colleges must apply only through MCAP, and no admissions shall be processed outside this centralized portal,” it said.

The State Cabinet approved amendments to the Meghalaya Building Byelaws, 2021, lowering the minimum land requirement for projects under the 'special projects' category to benefit landowners in urban areas. "The state cabinet has approved the amendment of the Meghalaya Building Byelaws, 2021 as amended for special projects category," Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla told reporters after the meeting on Tuesday. Under the existing byelaws, 'special projects' include large-scale developments such as hotels, public institutions, healthcare facilities, shopping malls, multiplexes, ICT and BPO centers, and educational institutions. "Special projects means those projects/buildings with large scale activities such as hotels, public institutions, health care, shoppi...

Noted academician Dr DRL Nonglait, also president of the Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS), has accepted the proposal from National People’s Party (NPP) to nominate him as the party candidate for the upcoming bye-election to Shillong Lok Sabha seat. After careful consideration, I am pleased to formally accept the proposal,” he stated in his letter addressed to the NPP president. Dr Nonglait assured that he would abide by the principles, vision and collective decisions of the party while working diligently for the welfare and development of the people, the state and the country. He also expressed gratitude to the party leadership and members for placing their faith and confidence in him by offering him the opportunity to contest the election on the party ticket. Dr Nonglait is known for ...

Teachers’ associations in Meghalaya on May 6 walked out of a meeting convened by the state education department, opposing the proposed Centralized Fund Scheme and accusing the government of trying to “force” registration while the matter remains pending before the High Court. The meeting, chaired by Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Mantri, was held to discuss the Meghalaya Non-Government Schools and Colleges Employees Centralized Fund Scheme, 2026, which seeks to streamline provident fund management for more than 30,000 non-government education employees across the state. The proposed scheme covers deficit, ad hoc and SSA teachers, among others. Deficit teachers are employees of privately managed aided schools whose salaries are paid by the government to make up for short...

In a continued push towards strengthening the State’s tourism sector and recognise grassroots contributors, the Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya today hosted a grand event to celebrate the empowerment of ‘Tourism Champions’ at the Orchid Lake Resort, Umiam.A key highlight of the event was the expansive rollout of Government support for the local tourism ecosystem. Under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission, which targets the creation of 3,000 new homestays and over 15,000 jobs by 2028, sanction letters were distributed to the initial cohort out of approved applications.Furthermore, the Community-Led Tourism Infrastructure Scheme has announced up to ₹3.40 crore in funding for 58 new beneficiaries, providing tiered grants ranging from ₹5 lakh to ₹20 lakh based on si...

The state unit of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) sought to steady its political footing following the party’s loss of power in West Bengal, asserting that the setback does not diminish its presence either nationally or in Meghalaya. TMC state president and Nongthymmai MLA Charles Pyngrope said the party’s future remains intact, stressing that electoral defeat does not equate to political irrelevance. He noted that while the party did not secure enough seats to form the government in West Bengal, it still holds a significant presence with 80 seats, which he said cannot be considered insignificant. He maintained that it would be incorrect to claim that the TMC has been wiped out, pointing out that the party has simply moved into the opposition after 15 years in power. According to him, ...