Shillong, Feb 16: Meghalaya Governor C H Vijayashankar on Monday told the state assembly that Meghalaya is on track to triple its economy by 2032, urging legislators to collaborate for better service delivery, sustainable infrastructure, and wider opportunities.
Addressing the budget session, the Governor highlighted a robust 9.66 per cent real GSDP growth and steady post-pandemic recovery. Meghalaya is India’s second-fastest growing state, sustaining around 10 per cent average growth for three consecutive years post-COVID. The state’s economy has nearly doubled from Rs 29,508 crore in 2018 to Rs 59,626 crore in 2025.
Under the ‘Vision 2032’ roadmap, supported by the Meghalaya Excellence Framework, the government aims for a top-10 ranking in per capita income and Sustainable Development Goals performance.
On governance, recruitment for nearly 3,000 police posts is nearing completion, while infrastructure projects continue, including the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School in Baghmara and boundary pillar installation along the Assam-Meghalaya border.
Infrastructure investments have exceeded Rs 12,000 crore across roads, power, agriculture, and tourism, with private funds of over Rs 1,800 crore mobilised and a target of Rs 8,000 crore by 2032. Major projects include the Rs 22,000-crore Shillong-Silchar greenfield high-speed corridor, Shillong airport expansion, heliports, 2,960 km of new roads since 2018, and PMGSY road connections for hundreds of villages.
Digital progress covers 97 per cent village mobile coverage and broadband connectivity for more than 6,900 villages. Social initiatives include 83 per cent rural tap water access under Jal Jeevan Mission, the launch of Shillong Medical College in 2025, per capita health spending of Rs 7,690 (double the national average), and Rs 3,654 crore allocated to education under Mission Education. Tourism arrivals have increased nearly 60 per cent since 2022, aided by homestays generating employment. Sports facilities are expanding ahead of the 2027 National Games.
Environmentally, the GREEN Meghalaya initiative protects 51,000 hectares of forest, and scientific mining practices are replacing banned rat-hole coal extraction. A judicial inquiry is ongoing into the East Jaintia Hills coal mine blast, which claimed at least 31 lives.
