Meghalaya - The Purbottar

15 Jun

‘Roads Will Change Lives’: Gadkari Unveils ₹3,214 Cr NH Projects; CM Says Meghalaya 3rd Fastest-Growing Economy

Preeti SinghMeghalaya

In a major boost to Meghalaya's infrastructure landscape and regional connectivity, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon'ble Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, today laid the foundation stones for four new highway projects and upgradation of two existing National Highways worth a cumulative investment of ₹3,214 crore at a programme held at Polo Grounds, Shillong.These projects will be a big step in improving regional connectivity, upgradation of transport networks, facilitating trade and commerce and expediting socio-economic development across Meghalaya and the Northeast. The initiatives are likely to improve mobility, reduce travel time, enhance logistics efficiency and open new…

06 Jun

Meghalaya Completes 90% of Bangladesh Border Fencing Work

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

Meghalaya has made significant progress in strengthening security along its international boundary with Bangladesh, with nearly 90 per cent of the border fencing work already completed, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said. The northeastern state shares a 443-km-long border with Bangladesh, of which around 400 km has already been fenced. According to the Chief Minister, only about 40 to 45 km of fencing work remains to be completed. Sangma said the pending stretches are no longer facing major construction-related hurdles. Instead, the remaining delays are largely linked to local issues, including concerns over land ownership, village access routes and objections…

08 May

Meghalaya Govt Says Monitoring Illegal Coal Mining Difficult Due to Numerous Mines

riya EditorMeghalaya

The Meghalaya government has acknowledged that the massive scale of coal mining operations in the state, particularly in East Jaintia Hills, has made effective monitoring and enforcement against illegal mining extremely challenging. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the 37th Interim Report of the Justice (Retd.) B.P. Katakey Committee had pointed out continued illegal coal extraction and transportation despite court restrictions. However, he maintained that the government remains committed to implementing all court directives. “The report itself mentions that East Jaintia Hills alone has around 22,000 mines. This makes continuous monitoring extremely difficult with the existing manpower and administrative setup,”…

06 May

CM Sangma Announces Infrastructure Overhaul to Elevate Meghalaya on the Global Tourism Map

nanika EditorMeghalaya

In a major move to solidify its position as a premier travel destination, the Meghalaya government has unveiled a comprehensive suite of initiatives aimed at expanding community-led tourism and boosting youth employment. During a “Tourism Champions” event held at the Orchid Lake Resort in Umiam, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Tourism Minister Timothy D. Shira detailed a multi-pronged strategy to transform the state’s hospitality landscape. Central to this push is the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission. The government handed out sanction letters to the inaugural batch of applicants, marking the start of an ambitious journey to establish 3,000 new…

29 Apr

Guwahati woman found safe after disappearance, says solo trip to Shillong was driven by emotional distress

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

A woman from Guwahati whose disappearance had sparked concern across social media and among residents over the last two days has returned home safely and revealed that she had travelled to Shillong with thoughts of ending her life. Bhabana Sarma broke her silence nearly 48 hours after she went missing by posting a video message on social media, where she explained the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and denied rumours that had circulated online during the search for her. In the video statement, she said no outsider or cab driver was involved in her disappearance and clarified that she had travelled…

23 Feb

Over Rs 4 Crore Dispute Pushes Mawkhar Presbyterian Church into Crisis

nanika EditorMeghalaya

The Mawkhar Presbyterian Church is grappling with one of the most serious crises in its history following alleged financial irregularities exceeding Rs 4 crore, leading to a sharp fallout with the KJP Synod Sepngi.The controversy began after discrepancies were found in church accounts for the financial years 2016–2019. A reconciliation process in June 2019 revealed inconsistencies between cash records and bank deposits. Initial verification of documents—including cash books, passbooks, deposit slips, and SBI Bara Bazar Branch statements—showed a shortfall of around Rs 2.86 crore.Further disclosures indicated that a portion of the discrepancy had reportedly been known since 2017 during an…

03 Dec

Conrad Hits Back At State Cong Chief Over Remark On New Regional Front

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

In a sharp riposte to Meghalaya Congress chief Vincent H. Pala’s remark on regional front “One North East” as nothing but a BJP-RSS plan, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday hit back, alleging that the Opposition party was ‘already’ a divided house, and hence need not be further divided. “Nobody needs to work to divide them as Congress is already a divided house,” Sangma stated. The Chief Minister also said that as “One North East”, they are not here to fight against or oppose anyone since the front is here from a positive perspective of unification and to…

02 Dec

Border Fencing Work Gains Momentum, Target Set for Completion by 2026

Sonakshi SarkarMeghalaya

After a lengthy period of interruptions lasting nearly two decades, fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya is now progressing significantly. The Border Security Force (BSF) is optimistic that the entire 443-km stretch will be completed by the end of 2026, representing a crucial step in bolstering border security. Inspector General (IG) Upadhyay reported that approximately 20 km of fencing was finalized and made operational in the previous year. However, this progress has been hindered by various challenges, including ongoing legal disputes, objections from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and pushback from local communities. Despite these barriers, the BSF has…

26 Nov

Night Curfew Imposed Along Bangladesh Border In Meghalaya District

Sonakshi SarkarENVIORMENT, Meghalaya

Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district administration has imposed a night curfew along the Meghalaya-Bangladesh border in the district to prevent entry of unwanted elements from across the border in view of the current situation in the neighbouring country. An order issued by District Magistrate Rosetta Mary Kurbah noted that the situation across the border has increased the likelihood of movement by unwanted elements, including members of proscribed militant groups, smugglers, and others involved in illegal activities. The administration stated that several portions of the border in East Khasi Hills remain porous and prone to infiltration by illegal migrants and individuals…

07 Nov

Nongstoin MCH Hospital to be inaugurated before Christmas

Mohini BarmanMeghalaya

As committed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad. K Sangma during the previously held CM-Connect programme at Nongstoin, the upgradation and operationalisation of the Maternal & Child Health (MCH) Hospital will be completed before Christmas. To move this commitment into execution, a spot review of the soon-to-be operational facility was conducted on Nov 6, 2025, led by Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Health & Family Welfare Department, with senior officials from DHS(MCH&FW), the district administration, and the health department. The review team consisted of Dr. (Mrs.) N. Kharsohnoh, Director of Health Services (MCH & FW); Dr. E. War, Joint Director…