USD-100 bln economy vision, majority for NPP, killer flood – Meghalaya's eventful 2024

Declaration of the vision for a USD 100-billion economy by 2047, the NPP securing majority, a devastating flood wreaking havoc as well as the unearthing of a multi-crore road project scam – Meghalaya remained witness to a year of myriad developments in 2024.

Hoisting the tri-colour at the Polo Grounds here on the occasion of Independence Day, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had unveiled the 'Viksit Meghalaya', the roadmap for a USD 100-billion economy by 2047.

"I aspire for a 'Viksit Meghalaya'… a USD 100-billion economy by 2047 when we celebrate the 75th anniversary of our statehood and the country's 100 years of independence," Sangma had said.

In August this year, the National People's Party (NPP) got a shot in the arm when three out of the total four Congress MLAs joined the ruling party, increasing its strength to 31 in the 60-member assembly.

The NPP secured a majority on its own in Meghalaya, which is ruled by a coalition, comprising other parties such as the UDP and BJP.

Former state Congress chief Celestine Lyngdoh, Gabriel Wahlang and Charles Marngar had met Speaker Thomas A Sangma and informed him about their decision to join the NPP.

The northeastern state also remained witness to a devastating flood in 2024 triggered by torrential rainfall, which claimed as many as 17 lives, including two children.

The West and South Garo Hills districts were the worst affected by the deluge that also impacted several areas in the North and East Garo Hills.

Meghalaya was also in the headlines for a multi-crore scam involving contractors and state engineers in the construction of a road.

Nine people, including senior engineers of the state government and officials of two private companies based in Telangana and Haryana, were named in an FIR lodged in this connection.

"Several lapses forced the government to lodge an FIR into the road project amounting to over Rs 2,300 crore," a senior official of the Public Works Department had told PTI.

The road project connecting the state capital Shillong with Tura, via Nongstoin and Rongjeng, was approved in 2010, as part of the Special Road Development Programme-North East of the central government.

Earlier in the year, the chief minister spoke to PTI in an interview, where he asserted that concerns of Meghalaya over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act have been addressed, as most areas of the state come under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, which exempts them from the law.

Sangma, who heads the National People's Party (NPP), also stressed on the requirement for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) regime in his state, which will restrict the entry of "outsiders".

He made mention about a resolution passed by the state assembly, too, to extend the ILP to the state.

The Meghalaya Assembly had in December 2019 adopted a resolution for implementing the ILP regime.

The ILP is a special permit required by "outsiders" from other regions of India to enter the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur.

"Our concerns are that anybody from outside the country is a non-Indian, and illegal immigration is illegal immigration. Citizens coming from other countries would be in a way foreigners coming into our country," he said.

During 2024, in a first, a private university was also granted the license to run a medical college in Meghalaya. The PA Sangma International Medical College at the University of Science and Technology started its MBBS course with an intake of 150 students, 64 of whom were from Meghalaya, officials said.