Meghalaya

The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday expressed concern over delays by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation in clearing safety assessment documents for the Shillong Airport runway expansion project, warning that it could lead to cost escalation borne by taxpayers. Hearing a PIL on the matter, the division bench of Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W Diengdoh noted that environmental clearance for the proposed runway expansion was received from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change on March 28, 2026. Work order for expansion of the runway, terminal building, apron and allied works was awarded to M/s KCC Buildcon Pvt Ltd on April 1, 2026, with 18 months allotted for completion, including 3 months for rains. The timeline is reckoned from 10 days af...

Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Home Prestone Tynsong has appealed to protesters on hunger strike in East Jaintia Hills over coal mining to end the fast and meet the government, saying the state has asked stakeholders to “wait for three months” while it pursues relaxation from the Centre. “In fact, the government, through the Chief Minister, has already promised all stakeholders, ‘Please wait for three months’. The government will effectively try to follow up with the Government of India and also to get some kind of relaxation from the present form of the Act,” Tynsong said. Addressing the hunger strike directly, he said, “So, therefore, I would request the person who is still on hunger strike to, instead of hunger strike, meet the government, meet the Chief Minister and get the cla...

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council has 85 cases pending before the Meghalaya High Court, the Executive Member in-charge of Legal Affairs told the House on Wednesday. Responding to a query by NPP MDC from Nongshken Grace Kharpuri during the first day of KHADC’s summer session, EM Deity H Majaw said the litigations span from 2022 to 2026. According to her, 6 cases were filed in 2022, 1 in 2023, 4 in 2024, 58 in 2025, and 16 so far in 2026. The pending matters include service, trade and Elaka-related disputes. Majaw added that 30 cases from 2023 have been disposed of. The EM also informed the council that KHADC’s legal team currently comprises one Special Counsel, three Standing Counsel, one Legal Assistant and one Lawyer to handle the cases.

Meghalaya will undertake a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 2026 as part of efforts to ensure an accurate and updated voter database across the state. Chief Electoral Officer of Meghalaya, B.D.R. Tiwari, announced that the exercise will begin with the training of election officials from June 20 to June 29. This will be followed by a house-to-house verification drive by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from June 30 to July 29. "The training phase is starting from June 20 to June 29. From June 30 till July 29, there will be house-to-house visits by the Booth Level Officers," Tiwari said. According to the schedule, the draft electoral roll will be published on August 5, 2026. Citizens will then be able to file claims and objections from August 5 to September 4. The ...

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) tabled a Rs 16.92 lakh deficit budget for 2026-2027 during the first day of the summer session on Wednesday. According to the Executive Member in-charge Finance Seiborlang Warbah, the total budget estimate is Rs 214,60,09,410 and the total receipt estimate is Rs 214,43,16,760. “I assure that this Executive Committee will never stop finding ways and means to further increase the Council’s revenue, improve the working system and carefully scrutinize expenditure so that it is always prudent,” Warbah said while presenting the budget. He urged the House to approve the estimates as the 3-month Vote on Account expires on June 30. The objective and basis of the budget allocation for the various departments is in accordance with the w...

Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Tuesday highlighted the state’s growing investment ecosystem anchored by the flagship PRIME initiative during the North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition 2026. He was speaking at a session titled “UNNATI & Beyond: Industries and Innovative Funding of MSMEs & Startups in the North East Region.” Dhar stated that the UNNATI programme has identified an estimated investment potential of around ₹653 crore across key sectors, including tourism, healthcare, and food processing. He emphasized that the initiative is designed to strengthen industrial growth and encourage private participation in the state’s development agenda. He further noted that the PRIME initiative has played a significant role in promoting entrepre...

Twenty-four talented young people from across Meghalaya are set to embark on an educational exposure visit to Malaysia after emerging from a competitive selection process involving more than 1,200 participants under the Chief Minister’s Youth Programme. The students, drawn from diverse fields including arts, culture, innovation, science, leadership and youth engagement activities, were selected through multiple rounds of competition and assessment conducted under the state’s flagship youth development initiative. The exposure visit is designed to give young achievers first-hand international experience, allowing them to interact with educational institutions, learn about global best practices and gain a broader understanding of opportunities beyond India’s borders. The programme ...

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on June 16 honoured 15 outstanding sportspersons at the Meghalaya Sports Conclave, recognising their achievements across six sporting disciplines. The athletes, representing Archery, Athletics, Swimming, Weightlifting, Wrestling, and Football, were presented with cash awards ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 87,500 in recognition of their performances and contributions to sports. Speaking on the occasion, Sangma said celebrating sporting excellence is essential not only to encourage athletes to continue striving for success but also to inspire the younger generation to pursue their dreams through sports. The Chief Minister noted that Meghalaya has consistently produced talented athletes who have brought laurels to the state and the country. He...

A road infrastructure investment worth ₹39,800 crore has been announced for Meghalaya at the inaugural North East India Infrastructure Summit & Exhibition (NEIINFRA) 2026, held at the Lariti Complex in New Shillong on Monday. The summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, investors, and representatives from all eight Northeastern states to discuss development and connectivity in the region. Organised by the Meghalaya government in partnership with the Federation of Industry and Commerce of North East Region (FINER) and the Build India Foundation, the summit is being positioned as a dedicated platform for infrastructure development and investment opportunities in Northeast India. The event was attended by Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, ...

Meghalaya’s emergence as a key gateway for trade with Bangladesh received a major boost on Monday with the launch of three Japan-funded highway projects worth ₹1,592 crore aimed at strengthening cross-border connectivity and accelerating economic growth in the Northeast. The projects, financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), were among six National Highway projects inaugurated by Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari during a ceremony in Shillong on January 15. Together, the corridors are expected to improve connectivity between Meghalaya, Assam, West Bengal and Bangladesh, while supporting trade, tourism and regional integration under India’s Act East Policy. A key component of the investment is the Shillong-Dawki highway project, which c...