Meghalaya

Amidst report of nine UDP MLAs planning to shift allegiance to the BJP, the state’s largest regional party continues to put up a brave face, asserting that a majority of its MLAs remain with the organisation and alleged that someone — inside or outside the party — was trying to create confusion and split it. UDP general secretary Titosstarwell Chyne said no UDP legislator had publicly declared an intention to join the BJP. “There’s no one from our party or any MLA who spoke to any news channel or print media that we are going to join BJP.” He said the reports were being spread for personal interest and to weaken the party in the Assembly. Asked whether all UDP MLAs were still with the party, Chyne said “almost,” but stressed that the majority remained intact as of Sunday. H...

Meghalaya Police reportedly neutralised four suspected members of an armed gang during an early-morning operation near Songsak in East Garo Hills district on Sunday, August 30. The operation was carried out at around 4 am, following inputs regarding the presence and activities of the suspected gang in the area. The group is believed to be linked to several criminal cases reported across the Assam-Meghalaya region. Police are also examining a possible connection between the gang and the recent murder of a businessman at Damra Bazaar in Assam’s Goalpara district. Investigators are working to establish whether the suspects had any role in the incident. Following the operation, forensic teams reached the scene and began collecting evidence as part of the ongoing investigation. The ev...

Meghalaya’s economy demonstrated robust performance in the 2024-25 financial year, growing by 12.03 percent and outpacing India’s overall GDP growth rate of 9.78 percent, according to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) State Finances Audit Report tabled in the assembly. The state's Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) expanded from Rs 53,223 crore in FY24 to Rs 59,626 crore in FY25. However, the CAG report highlighted a simultaneous 4.58 percent decline in total revenue receipts, which fell from Rs 17,977.86 crore to Rs 17,153.91 crore. This revenue contraction was primarily driven by a sharp 40.15 percent reduction in grants-in-aid from the Central government, which dropped to Rs 3,336.37 crore—the lowest level of central grants received by the state in five years—alongside a 9.4...

The State Government has sanctioned ₹5 lakh for the restoration of the bust of freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at R R Colony, Rynjah, which was recently vandalised. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday visited the site to see the damage caused to the bust. During his visit, Sangma told community members that the government remains firmly opposed to acts of vandalism and to any forces that threaten the peace, harmony and unity of Shillong and Meghalaya.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has questioned the quality ofMeghalaya's investments in the state's public sector enterprises, warning that public money continues to sit in poorly performing entities, producing almost no return and adding to fiscal stress. The finding comes as the state leans more heavily on borrowed funds to meet expenditure. The government had put Rs 4,322.52 crore into 11 State Public Sector Enterprises (SPSEs) up to 2024-25. In that year, among those 11 entities, only the Meghalaya State Warehousing Corporation returned anything - Rs 0.06 crore, or virtually zero per cent on the capital locked in. The CAG also flags a mismatch with the cost of money: those investments were financed at an averageborrowing rate of 5.31 per cent. The Financ...

Meghalaya’s Food Safety Department carried out 3,726 inspections, tested 2,844 regulatory samples, and examined 5,741 surveillance samples over the past three years to guarantee safe public consumption, Minister Community and Rural Development/Food Safety officials informed the State Assembly. The regulatory operations came into sharp focus during an Assembly discussion initiated by opposition MLA Rupa Marak regarding the brief interim ban on Sting energy drink following viral media reports linking it to the death of a 12-year-old boy in West Garo Hills. Clarifying the government's stance, Minister Shylla explained that the temporary distribution freeze imposed on August 14 was lifted on August 15 after an immediate inquiry and medical reports from the Civil Hospital confirmed the student...

The Meghalaya State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) has sought information on people from the state who may be missing or uncontactable in Nepal following a devastating flash flood and mudslide on August 26. The disaster struck Nepal's Rasuwa district, near the Nepal-Tibet border, causing extensive damage to villages, roads, bridges and other infrastructure. Several people have reportedly gone missing or remain uncontactable, according to the SDMA. The Meghalaya government has appealed to family members, relatives, friends, travel agencies, tour operators and members of the public to share details of anyone from the state who may have been in the affected area and cannot currently be contacted. Those with information have been asked to contact the dedicated helpline at 60099...

Meghalaya Bar Association and the Shillong Bar Association took to the streets on Thursday demandingthe removal of Advocate General Amit Kumar from Meghalaya. The protest followed allegations levelled by the Advocate General against members of the Bar Association, including claims concerning several cases of alleged sexual misconduct involving women lawyers within the association. The protesting lawyers also raised objections to the alleged use of public funds to engage lawyers from Delhi and questioned the appointment of the Advocate General's son as a State Panel Advocate. Before taking out the procession, the lawyers assembled at the premises of the High Court of Meghalaya Bar Association and subsequently proceeded from the vicinity of the U Kiang Nangbah statue near Civil Hos...