Shillong: The Meghalaya government launched a major legislative push Monday as the Assembly opened its Autumn Session. Officials introduced 10 new Bills to reclaim indigenous identity and clean up local financial regulations. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma presented the Meghalaya Official Language Bill, 2026, to elevate Khasi and Garo to full official status. These languages currently hold only associate status under a 2005 law. The change puts them on par with English.
Debt traps face a reckoning. Sangma also introduced the Meghalaya Money Lenders and Accredited Loan Providers Bill, 2026, to kill off an outdated 1934 Assam-era law. This framework follows strict recommendations from a Reserve Bank of India technical group. It aims to modernize financial oversight and shield the rural poor from predatory lending.
Bureaucrats will lose their grip on pending applications. The Meghalaya Right to Public Services (Amendment) Bill, 2026, forces an automatic appeal mechanism for electronic applications left untouched past their deadline. Officials clarified the status, noting this "does not constitute deemed approval." The system simply kicks files to higher authorities so they stop gathering dust.
The government also moved to fund environmental protection. The Meghalaya Forest Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aims to finally operationalize a 1991 Act. It establishes a dedicated forest fund and provides state grants to boost conservation efforts.
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