Shillong: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma attended the pre-budget consultations with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, where he presented a series of crucial proposals aimed at bolstering development in the Northeastern region.
Among the key demands, CM Sangma called for ₹10,000 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme to benefit the Northeastern states, excluding Assam. This proposal aims to boost development and improve human development indicators across the region.
Sangma emphasized the region’s higher infrastructure costs and further sought an allocation of ₹1,50,000 crore for the upcoming fiscal year, highlighting that this assistance would play a vital role in improving the economy and enhancing the quality of life in the region. The Meghalaya Chief Minister also presented a memorandum detailing the state’s specific developmental needs.
In a bid to bridge the digital divide, Sangma proposed the establishment of 1,000 Citizen Digital Service Delivery Centers to improve access to essential services, particularly in remote areas. He suggested leveraging the SASCI scheme to create 1,000 VO service delivery centers, aimed at empowering women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and supporting the expansion of rural banking in Meghalaya.
During the consultation, Sangma also pointed out the disparities in urban development funding, particularly under the AMRUT and AMRUT 2.0 schemes, where the Northeastern states receive a meager 2.68% of the total funds, with this figure dropping to just 1.52% when excluding Assam. To address this, he proposed an increase in the allocation for urban development, alongside the creation of a dedicated budget to address the unique infrastructure challenges faced by hilly cities in the region.
Additionally, CM Sangma advocated for a 50-50 cost-sharing arrangement for operation and maintenance under the Jal Jeevan Mission for the next two to three years. He also emphasized the importance of enhancing women-led micro-enterprises through the Lakhpati Didi initiative and recommended increasing the loan limit for Self-Help Groups from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh to foster economic growth at the grassroots level.
These proposals underscore the need for a more equitable distribution of resources to meet the unique challenges faced by the Northeastern region, particularly in terms of infrastructure, digital access, and economic empowerment. The response from the Union Finance Minister will be closely watched as it will determine the region’s developmental priorities in the upcoming Union Budget.
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