Shillong, August 16: The Fifteenth Finance Commission, which is responsible for allocating resources to the States from 2020-25, recently visited our State. We presented our need for funds very strongly to the Commission and sought grants-in-aid to the tune of ₹82,815 Crore.
A supplementary memorandum was also submitted highlighting the specific fund requirement for the National games and for development of Tourism and ropeways. We are hopeful that the Finance Commission will consider our demands favourably. In addition to relying on central grants, we are making concerted efforts to improve our own State revenues.
The Government has just launched a system for QR-coding and app-based scanning of Challans used by the Forest and Mineral resources Departments. This system will prevent duplication of challans and improve the royalty collection on minerals.
Mr Cornad Said that the government have also started the process for setting up of Integrated Check gates at few locations in the State and end-to-end computerization of the revenue collection on minerals. Similar initiatives have led to substantial increases in revenue collection in mineral rich States like Chhattisgarh and Orissa.
He is hopeful that the QR-coding of challans and setting up of the integrated check gates will improve our revenue collection considerably. I would like to emphasise that this is the first time in the history of the State that such systematic efforts are being made to improve the State’s own revenue collection.
A third strategy for mobilization of investments is to apply for externally aided projects. We already have four major ongoing projects- IFAD Funded M-LAMP Project, World bank Funded CLLMP Project, World Bank funded Integrated Transport Project and the ADB funded Supporting Human Capital in Meghalaya Project.
Three more projects in the sectors of Community Forestry, Farmer’s Mobilization and Protection of Vulnerable Catchment areas are at an advanced stage of approval. We have also recently submitted projects in the sectors of health, power and soil and water conservation. New and novel projects in the sectors of Tourism, Urban mobility, financial management and Secondary education are being prepared.
The Chief Minister in his 73rd Independence day speech assure that his Government has a clear vision and strategy to improve the well-being of every section of the society including our farmers, our youth, our entrepreneurs, our elderly, our school going children, and our citizens in rural areas. To achieve the goals and aspirations of the 3 million Meghalayans, our economy needs to growth more strongly than in the past decade.
Today the size of Meghalaya’s economy is about ₹ 30,000 Crore or 4.2 billion US Dollars. The size of the Indian economy is 2.6 trillion USD dollars. As the Indian economy expands to become 5 trillion dollars by 2024-25 under the leadership of our Hon’ble PM Shri Narendra Moi ji, Meghalaya’s economy also needs to double in the next five years and at least become 10 billion US dollors.
This will mean that our growth rates should be higher than 10 percent in the next few years. To make such growth rates possible, investments by both the Government and Private Sector are necessary. The government will 21 make every effort so that the size of the economy expands and that this expansion will lead to greater well-being of all our citizens. 43.Friends, in conclusion,
He encourage each of us to make a commitment by taking steps to ensure positive and collective impact and build a state that encourages young people to dream, a state that supports entrepreneurs to innovate and create, and a state that chooses a government that keeps aspirations of its people first. Let us not take our freedom for granted. Let us work towards strengthening each other because together we can.
