Meghalaya proposes projects worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore to 16th Finance Commission

Shillong: Officials stated that the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Conrad K Sangma, introduced projects worth Rs 1.2 lakh crore to the 16th Finance Commission led by Arvind Panagariya on Monday. During his presentation to the XVI-FC, Sangma suggested projects that will be reviewed before October 31, 2025, for a five-year award period starting on April 1, 2026. Praising the presentation, Panagariya informed journalists, "The chief minister was highly involved." You can witness his passion and dedication towards the progress of the state. We were extremely amazed by what we witnessed. The presentation was extremely thorough. It includes a variety of programs related to population, land formations, and the travel industry.

The state has some precise recommendations, notably suggesting a higher portion of the state's allocation be delegated according to the forest area. He mentioned that, although the 15th Finance Commission allocated 10 percent to forest and ecology, Meghalaya's suggestion is to increase it to 15 percent. Panagariya also proposed the addition of a new factor known as the rural distribution of the population. "In this, it was stated that a weight of 2.5 to 5 per cent should be allocated." He said this would become a new standard if we can achieve it. He described the state's significant reduction in maternal mortality rate as incredibly impressive. He mentioned a program in which the state has reportedly registered all pregnant women and keeps track of their progress through each trimester. He also mentioned the program for early childhood development, which involves training children in various sports from a young age.  

Panagariya also observed that the state has a high debt to GDP ratio along with a significant fiscal deficit. Regarding the state government's ambitious Mission 10 initiative, he mentioned, "The state has a highly ambitious plan...and the obligations it has towards the people of Meghalaya." The state's goal is to increase the GDP to USD 10 billion by 2028, which would result in a per capita income of around USD 3,000, a significant improvement. The three independent district councils in the state also suggested funding exceeding Rs 8,000 crore during individual meetings with the commission.