Shillong: The Meghalaya Cabinet approved a sweeping agenda Tuesday aimed at upgrading public infrastructure and governance. The state will launch CM IMPACT+, a grant-in-aid scheme targeting 1,900 schools. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma noted a sharp decline in higher secondary education availability, with seven blocks lacking a single secondary school. The grants, intended to bolster secondary and higher secondary institutions, will provide lump-sum payments directly to schools rather than funding specific salaries. "As far as the decision is concerned, the Cabinet has approved the launching and the moving forward of this grant-in-aid scheme for secondary schools and for higher secondary schools," Sangma said.
Economic measures include restructuring excise revenue by merging excise duty and VAT into a single ad valorem component. Meghalaya will also hike excise rates to align with recent increases in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, a shift expected to generate Rs 150 crore. Amendments to the Meghalaya Film Tourism Policy, 2025, now require films to screen in 100 theaters or on national OTT platforms to qualify for incentives. Changes also allow films to feature on national platforms while requiring dubbed Khasi and Garo versions for the state’s Hello Meghalaya portal.
The government will establish a dedicated civil aviation wing to manage growing infrastructure demands, including Umroi and Baljek airport expansions and heliport development in Shillong, Tura, and Sohra. Additionally, the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Society will launch a state-backed booking app for buses, taxis, and helicopters. This platform aims to provide local taxi operators with a low-commission alternative to private services like Rapido. Registration remains optional.
Administrative updates include standardizing the cessation age for regular, casual, and muster-roll workers at 60. The Cabinet also approved a Dam Safety Organisation to independently oversee the state’s 12 to 13 dams. Furthermore, 11 female supervisors in the Social Welfare department will receive one-time regularization following a Supreme Court order. The state will also allow the engagement of retired officials as consultants for externally aided projects, provided these roles do not occupy permanent government posts.
Updated at 16th September 2026 at 6:00pm
The government plans to review the CM IMPACT+ scheme annually, with school funding levels pegged to performance metrics. The Education Department is currently finalizing the specific framework for these grants.
Regarding the new retirement age of 60 for casual and muster-roll staff, the state will handle transition cases individually. This includes workers who are currently 63 or 64 years old, whose status will be reviewed by the relevant departments on a case-by-case basis.
The Cabinet also cleared a move to consolidate benefits for retired judges. Allowances for electricity, travel, and telephone, previously handled as separate categories, will now be paid as a single lump-sum amount to cut red tape.
The state also tapped several retired experts for project roles. Appointments include Gideon Kharmawphlang as Executive Director of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency, Bruce P. Marak as Advisor to the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project, and several other project-specific roles for Marcel Kharbani, Augustus S. Suting, Damanshu Lamar, and Aiban Swer. Officials stressed these are project-based assignments, not standard government jobs.
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