Policy Update
Ayana N K
Background
Meghalaya, meaning “the abode of clouds,” is a hill state in Northeast India covering about 22,430 sq km. According to the 2011 Census, it has a population of around 29.67 lakh. The state is predominantly tribal, with the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities forming its major population groups. Many areas are governed through Autonomous District Councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. Its hilly terrain, heavy rainfall and scattered settlements make Meghalaya vulnerable to landslides, flash floods and irregular rainfall.
The state’s development strategy is guided by “Vision 2032”, which identifies the coming years as the “Meghalayan Decade.” Chief Minister and Finance Minister Conrad K. Sangma presented the State Budget for 2026–27 on 23 February 2026. The budget estimates total expenditure at around ₹32,023 crore and focuses on infrastructure, human development, climate resilience and economic growth.
A key feature of the budget is the increase in capital expenditure, which has crossed ₹10,000 crore, reflecting the government’s emphasis on roads, bridges, connectivity and other infrastructure. At the same time, substantial attention is given to education, health, rural development and agriculture, which are important for improving livelihoods and public services.
The government has also introduced separate Climate, Gender and Youth Budgets, along with an SDG Budget. These initiatives aim to make development planning more inclusive by addressing climate change, gender equality, youth development and sustainable development goals.
Meghalaya’s development programmes are supported by Central government transfers, including tax devolution and assistance for capital investment. Centrally Sponsored Schemes also provide financial support for areas such as education, agriculture, rural development and infrastructure.
Overall, Meghalaya’s current policy approach combines infrastructure development, social-sector investment and climate-sensitive planning, while seeking to achieve the long-term objectives of Vision 2032.
MEGHALAYA BUDGET 2026-27 — ALL 48
DEPARTMENTS
Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department
Scheme: Farmer Support, PRIME Hubs and Tochiotome Strawberry Initiative,
Launch Year: 2018 (farmer support); 2026 (strawberry initiative),
Key Details: Farmer support, strawberry cultivation and agricultural exports,
Coverage: 1.8 lakh farmers, Latest Budget: Rs 664 Cr
Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department
Scheme: Livestock Health and Dairy Development, Launch Year: 1972 (department mandate since statehood), Key Details: Veterinary care, disease control and dairy and poultry development, Coverage: Livestock-rearing households statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Arts & Culture Department
Scheme: Film Institute, Shillong and Music Institute, Tura, Launch Year: 2026, Key Details: Development of film, music and creative industries, Coverage: Creative sector statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Border Areas Development Department
Scheme: Border Area Development Programme (BADP), Launch Year: 1993–94, Key Details: Infrastructure, connectivity and livelihood development in border villages, Coverage: Border areas of Garo, Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Cabinet Affairs Department
Scheme: Cabinet Coordination and Secretariat Support, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Coordination of Cabinet meetings, government decisions and inter-departmental follow-up, Coverage: All government departments, Latest Budget: Administrative function
Commerce & Industries Department
Scheme: UNNATI-2024, Launch Year: 2024, Key Details: Industrial incentives for manufacturing and investment in the Northeast, Coverage: Industries and MSMEs statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 10,037 Cr Union outlay for Northeast
Community & Rural Development Department
Scheme: Finance Commission Grants to Rural Local Bodies, Launch Year: 2026–27, Key Details: Strengthening rural local bodies and local service delivery, Coverage: Rural local bodies statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 190 Cr
Cooperation Department
Scheme: Cooperative Society Strengthening, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Support for agricultural credit, cooperative marketing and rural producers, Coverage: Rural cooperative system, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Department of Labour, Employment & Skill Development
Scheme: Youth Skilling and Employment Facilitation, Launch Year: 2024, Key Details: Skill development and employment linkages for youth, Coverage: 70,000 youth by 2028, Latest Budget: Included in Rs 4,824 Cr Youth Budget
Department of Prisons and Correctional Services
Scheme: Prison Modernisation and Correctional Services, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Prison infrastructure, inmate welfare and correctional programmes, Coverage: State correctional facilities, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
District Council Affairs Department
Scheme: Autonomous District Council Coordination, Launch Year: 1973, Key Details: Coordination with Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills Autonomous District Councils, Coverage: Three Autonomous District Councils, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Education Department
Scheme: Chief Minister’s Scholarship and Teacher Pay Reform, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Scholarships for students and pay reforms for fixed-pay teachers, Coverage: Over 1 lakh students and 23,000 teachers, Latest Budget: Rs 3,347 Cr
Elections Department
Scheme: Electoral Roll Management and Elections, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Electoral roll management, voter services and conduct of elections, Coverage: Eligible voters statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Excise, Registration, Taxation & Stamps Department
Scheme: Excise, Registration and Stamp-Duty Administration, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Excise licensing, property registration and stamp-duty collection, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Finance Department
Scheme: State Budget 2026–27 and Vision 2032, Launch Year: 23 Feb 2026, Key Details: Fiscal management, capital expenditure and development planning, Coverage: All sectors statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 32,023 Cr
Fisheries Department
Scheme: Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Support, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Fish farming and aquaculture development in ponds and reservoirs, Coverage: Fish-farming households statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department
Scheme: Public Distribution System under NFSA, Launch Year: 2013 onward, Key Details: Food-grain distribution to eligible households and consumer protection, Coverage: NFSA-eligible households statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Forests & Environment Department
Scheme: Climate Budget and Forest & Biodiversity Conservation, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Climate resilience, forest protection and biodiversity conservation, Coverage: Forest and biodiversity areas statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 5,572 Cr
General Administration Department
Scheme: Secretariat and Administrative Coordination, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Secretariat administration and inter-departmental coordination, Coverage: All government departments, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Health & Family Welfare Department
Scheme: Meghalaya Health Insurance Scheme and Medical College Expansion, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Health insurance coverage and expansion of medical education, Coverage: 6.6 lakh families, Latest Budget: Rs 2,472 Cr
Home (Civil Defence and Home Guards) Department
Scheme: Home Guards and Civil Defence Strengthening, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Disaster response, civil defence and law-and-order support, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Home (Passport) Department
Scheme: Passport Application Facilitation, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Police verification and coordination with Passport Seva Kendras, Coverage: Passport applicants statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Home (Police) Department
Scheme: Police Infrastructure Modernisation, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Police infrastructure and facilities modernisation, Coverage: Police establishments statewide, Latest Budget: Linked to Rs 1,540 Cr Urban Affairs allocation
Home (Political) Department
Scheme: Law and Order & Internal Security Coordination, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Law-and-order policy, preventive detention and internal-security coordination, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Administrative function
Housing Department
Scheme: Affordable Housing Development, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Affordable and public housing development, including projects in New Shillong City, Coverage: Urban and other housing areas statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Information & Public Relations Department
Scheme: Government Publicity and Media Outreach, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Publicity of government schemes and programmes through media, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Information Technology & Communication Department
Scheme: Tura IT Park and Digital Tourism Infrastructure, Launch Year: 2022, Key Details: IT infrastructure and tourism facilities under PM-DevINE, Coverage: West Garo Hills and statewide tourism infrastructure, Latest Budget: Centrally funded under PM-DevINE
Law Department
Scheme: Legislative Drafting and Legal Services, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Legislative drafting, legal advice and examination of government rules, Coverage: Government departments statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Legal Metrology Department
Scheme: Weights and Measures Regulation, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Regulation of weighing and measuring instruments and consumer protection, Coverage: Traders and consumers statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Mining & Geology Department
Scheme: Scientific Mining Reform, Launch Year: 2026, Key Details: Reform of mining leases and promotion of regulated scientific mining, Coverage: Mining areas statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately notified
Parliamentary Affairs Department
Scheme: Assembly Business Coordination, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Coordination of legislative business in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Coverage: Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Personnel & A.R. Department
Scheme: Recruitment and Administrative Reforms, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Civil-service recruitment, service rules and administrative reforms, Coverage: State government employees, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Planning, Investment Promotion & Sustainable Development Department
Scheme: Vision 2032 and Mission 10, Launch Year: 2022 onward, Key Details: Coordinates development planning, Climate, Gender, Youth and SDG budgets, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 6,849 Cr Gender Budget + Rs 4,824 Cr Youth Budget
Power Department
Scheme: Power-Sector Loss Reduction Reforms, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Distribution reforms to reduce AT&C losses and improve power supply, Coverage: Statewide power consumers, Latest Budget: About 3.8% of total expenditure
Printing & Stationery Department
Scheme: Government Printing and Stationery, Launch Year: Annual, Key Details: Printing of government documents, budget papers and gazettes, Coverage: All departments, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Programme Implementation & Evaluation Department
Scheme: Monitoring of EAPs and Flagship Schemes, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Monitoring of externally aided projects and flagship programmes, Coverage: Major development sectors statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Public Health Engineering Department
Scheme: Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting Subsidy, Launch Year: 2026, Key Details: 25% subsidy for rooftop rainwater-harvesting systems, Coverage: Buildings statewide, Latest Budget: Included in Rs 5,572 Cr Climate Budget
Public Works Department
Scheme: National Highways and PMGSY-III Roads, Launch Year: 2000, Key Details: Construction and improvement of highways, rural roads and bridges, Coverage: Statewide road network, Latest Budget: About 9.6% of total expenditure
Revenue & Disaster Management Department
Scheme: SDRF and State Disaster Mitigation Fund, Launch Year: 2026–27, Key Details: Disaster response and mitigation for floods, landslides and other hazards, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 63 Cr SDRF + Rs 16.20 Cr SDMF
Secretariat Administration Department
Scheme: Secretariat Administrative Support, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Internal administrative functioning of the state secretariat, Coverage: Secretariat departments, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Social Welfare Department
Scheme: Active Ageing Centres and Community Institution Fellowships, Launch Year: 2026, Key Details: Support for senior citizens and traditional community institutions, Coverage: Senior citizens and community institutions statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Soil & Water Conservation Department
Scheme: Watershed and Soil Conservation, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Soil-erosion control, water conservation and agricultural productivity, Coverage: Hill-agriculture areas statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Sports & Youth Affairs Department
Scheme: 39th National Games and Youth Skilling, Launch Year: 2026–27, Key Details: Preparation for National Games 2027 and youth skill development, Coverage: Youth statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 844 Cr
Textiles Department
Scheme: Handloom and Sericulture Promotion, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Support for handloom weaving, sericulture and textile livelihoods, Coverage: Weavers and textile artisans statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Tourism Department
Scheme: Tourism Circuit and Destination Development, Launch Year: 2026, Key Details: Development of tourism destinations and circuits across Meghalaya, Coverage: Tourist destinations statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 376 Cr
Transport Department
Scheme: Airport Expansion and Rail Connectivity, Launch Year: 2016, Key Details: Airport development, new air routes and rail infrastructure improvement, Coverage: Statewide transport connectivity, Latest Budget: Rs 200 Cr
Urban Affairs Department
Scheme: New Shillong City and Urban Infrastructure, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Development of New Shillong City and urban infrastructure, Coverage: Urban local bodies statewide, Latest Budget: Rs 1,540 Cr + Rs 49 Cr Finance Commission grant
Water Resources Department
Scheme: Water-Resource Management and Irrigation Support, Launch Year: 1972, Key Details: Irrigation infrastructure and water-resource management for agriculture and water security, Coverage: Statewide, Latest Budget: Not separately itemised
Conclusion
Meghalaya’s Budget 2026–27 focuses on capital investment and long term development under “Vision 2032”. Capital expenditure has crossed Rs 10,000 crore for the first time, while the fiscal deficit is kept within the 3.5% limit. The budget gives priority to health, education, agriculture, tourism, sports infrastructure for the 2027 National Games and climate resilience. Special budgets for Climate, Gender, Youth and SDG programmes also support these priorities. Increased Central support through tax devolution, SASCI and Centrally Sponsored Schemes is another important part of the budget.
The focus on export oriented agriculture, scientific mining reforms and industrial incentives under UNNATI 2024 aims to diversify Meghalaya’s economy. This is important for a hill state that faces challenges related to terrain, connectivity and limited revenue sources. However, many smaller administrative and regulatory departments do not have separately listed scheme budgets in public documents. This shows the need for more detailed department wise budget information in the future.
References
- 4Front Media. (2026). Union Budget 2026–27 grants Meghalaya Rs 9,631 crore through tax devolution. https://www.4frontmedia.in/current-affairs/union-budget-2026-27-grants-meghalaya-%E2%82%B99631-crore-through-tax-devolution/
- Assam Tribune. (2026, February 23). Meghalaya tables Rs 2,672-Cr deficit budget; capital outlay at Rs 10,211 Cr. https://assamtribune.com/meghalaya-tables-rs-2672-cr-deficit-budget-capital-outlay-at-rs-10211-cr
- Borderlens. (2026, February 23). Meghalaya tables Rs 32,023-crore budget with focus on growth and fiscal stability. https://www.borderlens.com/2026/02/23/meghalaya-tables-%E2%82%B932023-crore-budget-with-focus-on-growth-and-fiscal-stability/
- EastMojo. (2026, February 23). Meghalaya Budget 2026–27: Fiscal deficit at Rs 2,672 crore. https://eastmojo.com/meghalaya/2026/02/23/meghalaya-budget-2026-27-fiscal-deficit-at-rs-2672-crore/
- Government of Meghalaya. (n.d.). Departments. Meghalaya Government Portal. https://meghalaya.gov.in/departments
- Hub Network. (2026). Meghalaya crosses Rs 10,000-crore capital mark in Rs 32,023-crore vision budget. https://hubnetwork.in/meghalaya-crosses-%E2%82%B910000-crore-capital-mark-in-%E2%82%B932023-crore-vision-budget/
- NE News. (2026). Meghalaya projects Rs 76,320 crore GSDP in Budget 2026–27. https://nenews.in/meghalaya/meghalaya-projects-rs-76320-crore-gsdp-in-budget-2026-27/42892/
- NE Now. (2026). Meghalaya: Union Budget 2026–27 aligns with state priorities, says CM Sangma. https://nenow.in/north-east-news/meghalaya/meghalaya-union-budget-2026-27-aligns-with-state-priorities-says-cm-sangma.html
- PRS Legislative Research. (2026). Meghalaya budget analysis 2026–27. https://prsindia.org/files/budget/budget_state/meghalaya/2026/Budget_Analysis_2026-27-MG.pdf
About the Contributor
Ayana N K is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calicut. With a keen interest in public policy, international relations, and development studies. She enjoys researching contemporary social and political issues and exploring how policies shape society.
Acknowledgement
The author extends her sincere gratitude to the IMPRI team for their expert guidance and constructive feedback throughout the process.
Reviewers
Amrutha Lahar and Vibha Sethi
Disclaimer
All views expressed in the article belong solely to the author and not necessarily to the organization.
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