Shillong, January 30: The Meghalaya Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, has approved several key initiatives aimed at strengthening financial access for Self-Help Groups, improving governance, and streamlining administrative processes.
One of the major decisions includes the establishment of the Kong Pla Tangka Cooperative Society, a state-level credit cooperative society designed to enhance financial opportunities for SHG women. The state has witnessed a substantial rise in SHG numbers from 4,000 in 2018 to 51,674 today, with membership expanding to 5.2 lakh. The SHG network currently contributes ₹1,000 crore to the rural economy, and the newly approved cooperative society will further facilitate access to funds through a cooperative model.
The Cabinet also approved the appointment of Col. Darryl Hopkins (Retd.) as Director, Sainik Welfare Meghalaya, following the completion of Col. G.K. Rai’s tenure. Additionally, an amendment to the Meghalaya Contingency Fund Ordinance 2025 was passed, increasing the fund corpus to ₹1,000 crore to address additional and unforeseen expenditures. The implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) has been transferred from the PHE Department to the C&RD Department to ensure a more streamlined approach to rural sanitation programs. The Cabinet further approved an amendment to the Meghalaya GST Act 2017 to enable simultaneous notifications for uniform implementation of revised provisions as mandated by the GST Council and Government of India.