Northeast Desk, 30th August: The Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has recorded a notable increase in revenue collection over the past three years, as disclosed in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Friday. Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who oversees Urban Affairs, shared that MUDA’s revenue soared from ₹12.43 lakh in 2021-2022 to ₹39.26 lakh in 2022-2023. However, it witnessed a dip to ₹26.56 lakh in 2023-2024.
Despite this financial growth, the state’s urban transport infrastructure continues to grapple with significant challenges. Dhar reported that 66 State Transport Public Service (STPS) buses are currently non-operational and in storage. Out of these, 53 buses are set to be auctioned, while 13 are designated for use by schools and colleges outside Shillong, subject to repairs funded by the respective institutions. Additionally, three Red Maxi Cabs from the Shillong State Public Transport Service (SSPTS) are out of service, pending evaluation.
The auction process for the defunct STPS buses is nearing its conclusion, with tenders expected to be issued soon. Meanwhile, the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) awaits the District Transport Office’s evaluation of the non-functional Maxi Cabs before submitting the findings to the department’s Condemnation Committee.
The discussion also highlighted the slow progress of digital payment integration within the SMB, despite a decade of the Digital India initiative. Sohiong legislator Synshar Kupar Roy raised concerns about the inconvenience caused by the limited availability of online payment options.
In response, Dhar noted that digital payment services are currently available for select functions, including business licenses, water tanker supply, plumber registration, and water connection fees. Additionally, the board accepts digital transactions via point-of-sale (POS) devices and UPI for other payments.
Efforts are ongoing to expand digital payment services for all SMB services, in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre. Dhar also mentioned that the SMB has partnered with Axis Bank to implement the “PayU Biz” payment gateway, aiming to provide comprehensive digital payment solutions for urban services in Meghalaya.
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