Shillong, Feb 16: Meghalaya Governor C H Vijayashankar on Monday said the state is on course to triple its economy by 2032, as he called for a collective commitment from legislators to ensure growth translates into better service delivery, sustainable infrastructure and wider opportunities.
In his inaugural address during the assembly’s budget session, Vijayashankar also pointed to a 9.66 per cent real GSDP growth and sustained post-pandemic expansion.
He said Meghalaya has emerged as the second fastest-growing state in the country, and the only one to maintain an average growth rate of around 10 per cent for three consecutive years after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The governor said the state’s economy has nearly doubled from Rs 29,508 crore in 2018 to about Rs 59,626 crore in 2025, reflecting the resilience and potential of its people.
Vijayashankar said the government’s ‘Vision 2032’ roadmap, backed by the Meghalaya Excellence Framework, aims to place the state among the top 10 in the country in per capita income and performance on Sustainable Development Goals.
On governance and law and order, he said recruitment for nearly 3,000 police vacancies is nearing completion and infrastructure upgrades are underway.
He also referred to the inauguration of the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Baghmara, and progress in erecting boundary pillars along the Assam-Meghalaya border following an inter-state agreement.
The address highlighted infrastructure projects worth over Rs 12,000 crore across sectors, including roads, power, agriculture and tourism. Private investment exceeding Rs 1,800 crore has been mobilised, with a target of over Rs 8,000 crore by 2032, he said.
The governor also cited the proposed Rs 22,000-crore Shillong-Silchar greenfield high-speed corridor, expansion of the Shillong airport and ongoing heliport projects. More than 2,960 km of roads have been developed since 2018, while rural road works under PMGSY have connected hundreds of habitations, he said.
Vijayashankar said 97 per cent of villages now have mobile network coverage, and over 6,900 villages are connected with broadband.
In the social sector, he said over 83 per cent of rural households have tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission, and healthcare infrastructure has expanded with the launch of the Shillong Medical College in 2025.
Per capita health expenditure stands at Rs 7,690, more than double the national average, while education spending has risen to Rs 3,654 crore under Mission Education, he said.
Tourism footfall has also risen nearly 60 per cent since 2022, with homestay initiatives generating employment, the governor said.
Sports infrastructure is being expanded ahead of the 2027 National Games, with facilities under development across districts, he said.
On environmental sustainability, Vijayashankar said community-led initiatives such as GREEN Meghalaya are protecting over 51,000 hectares of forest. Efforts are also underway to transition to scientific mining practices following the ban on rat-hole coal mining.
He also informed the House that a judicial inquiry commission has been set up to probe the recent blast at an illegal coal mine in East Jaintia Hills, which claimed the lives of at least 31 people. (PTI)
