Shillong, Oct 22:Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today said that Government with concerted effort is making investment in infrastructure, while also focusing on upscale economic livelihood of people through different interventions.
Speaking at CM Elevate – celebration of entrepreneurship at Jengjal in West Garo Hills, he said without big investment, Government will not be able to push growth and development.
“In last eight years, NPP led Government has initiated various projects from Externally Aided Projects. In history of Meghalaya, we have highest sanction for road connectivity, including push for overall infrastructure development in health, education and administrative set up. We have put investment in front as we focus on our developmental goals, and upscale economic livelihood for our people towards holistic development,” he said.
He said with focused aim, Government has introduced schemes like FOCUS Plus for farmers, through PRIME programme promoted entrepreneurs, CM Farm Plus to further support farmers, established processing units.
“We are touching lives of our farming community, adding value to products and establishing market linkage. Through CM-MGMP, we have supported 8000 plus artists and groups. Close to Rs. 65 Cr has been disbursed for artists as support. We need big projects, but we needed to curate personalised programmes for our people, which we have done,” he added.
He said Government has been sending entrepreneurs to Japan and France to learn marketing and branding to upscale their business entities, citing example of entrepreneur Lakme Marak from North Garo Hills.
Today, 628 entrepreneurs from across Meghalaya received sanction orders and cheques under nine CM-ELEVATE schemes: Agriculture Response Vehicle, Tourism Vehicle, Piggery, Dairy, Goat Farming, Poultry, Any Business Venture, SEED and Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission.
Across all CM-ELEVATE schemes, more than 30,000 applications have been received, showing demand among people to start their own businesses. Over 4,500 entrepreneurs have been approved across all 12 districts, with Rs. 178.79 crore sanctioned and Rs. 101.31 crore disbursed so far.
During the programme, Chief Minister also remotely launched 14 Common Facility Centre (CFC) & 12 Warehouse constructed under CM Elevate.Under Any Business Venture Scheme, which gives entrepreneurs in any sector finance to start or scale business, 31 entrepreneurs are supported for projects worth Rs. 8.38 crore, with Rs. 4.19 crore in subsidy.
Under PRIME Agriculture Response Vehicle Scheme, which gives farmers an easy way to take produce from farm to market, 12 new vehicles were handed over in Garo Hills, with Rs. 0.66 crore in subsidy. This takes scheme to 204 beneficiaries.
Under SEED Scheme, launched in 2025 to help young people set up or expand small businesses, particularly in underserved and unorganised sectors such as retail shops, Common Service Centres and stationery shops, which supports projects of up to Rs. 1 lakh with 50 percent upfront subsidy mainly for buying machines – 329 entrepreneurs from Garo Hills received Rs. 1.63 crore in subsidy, largest group at today’s programme. In all, 1,630 beneficiaries have been supported, with Rs. 9.90 crore sanctioned.
Under Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Homestay Mission, launched in September 2025 with subsidy of up to 70 percent (maximum Rs. 7 lakh for new homestays and up to Rs. 2 lakh for upgrading existing ones) with target of 3,000 homestays and 15,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2028 – 33 sanction orders were handed over in Garo Hills for homestays worth Rs. 3.30 crore, with Rs. 2.31 crore in subsidy. 206 applications have been received from all 12 districts, 23 of them from West Garo Hills.
It builds on Meghalaya Tourism Homestay Scheme, which has supported 909 homestays with Rs. 118.46 crore sanctioned and Rs. 105.94 crore disbursed. Of these, 497 are operational, including 75 in West Garo Hills. Homestays let families earn from tourism at home – in North Garo Hills, Mardarine K. Marak, a homemaker with no earlier income, has earned Rs. 47.5 lakh in three years from her homestay at Resubelpara.
The Chief Minister also flagged off 171 waste collection vehicles – 111 electric and 60 petrol – to Village Water and Sanitation Committees of all five Garo Hills districts: 84 for West Garo Hills, 27 for North Garo Hills, and 20 each for East, South and South West Garo Hills.
“Our terrain is hilly and our facilities are limited, so Meghalaya has been permitted petrol vehicles alongside electric ones. With today’s vehicles, Garo Hills will have received 561 of 632 allotted to region. Remaining 71 will reach this financial year,” he informed.
The programme was attended by MLAs Mehtab Chandee A Sangma, Ian Botham K Sangma, Sanjay Sangma, Albinstone Marak, Rupert Momin, Pongseng Marak and Jimmy Sangma, along with entrepreneurs, SHGs and district officials.
