Externally aided projects in Meghalaya rise nearly 10 times to Rs 11,324 crore: CM

Shillong, Sep 11 (PTI) The size of externally aided projects (EAPs) in Meghalaya has increased from Rs 1,300 crore in 2018 to Rs 11,324 crore in 2025, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told the Assembly on Thursday.

He said the nearly tenfold rise in seven years reflected the efficiency with which the state government had implemented the projects.

"The overall implementation of the different EAPs has in fact been going on very well and even the results have been very good. That in fact has led to the externally aided projects to increase from an amount of Rs 1,300 crore in 2018 to Rs 11,324 crore, which is almost a 10 times increase," Sangma said during the question hour.

The chief minister clarified that EAPs comprise a 72 per cent grant component, repaid by the Centre, and a 28 per cent contribution from the state government.

He asserted that implementation of EAPs was transparent, with details available on the websites of the Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA).

The MBMA report has already been tabled in the House and the MBDA report will follow soon.

The government was working closely with MLAs and other stakeholders to ensure benefits reached the people, he said.

Sangma also proposed convergence of MLA schemes and the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP) with MBMA projects for better results.

Earlier, Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma expressed displeasure over not being invited to the inauguration of a bridge in his constituency in 2022, which was constructed with funds from the MGNREGS and MLA scheme.

He stressed the need to converge MLA schemes with other programmes and flagged coordination gaps between district administration and legislators.

Responding, the chief minister admitted there had been a communication gap and assured that steps would be taken to prevent a repeat of such incidents. PTI JOP MNB