Shillong, July 23: The Directorate of Social Welfare, Government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the Department of Sociology, Shillong College, organised a workshop on "Creating a Well-Functioning Care Economy" at Shillong College on Thursday. The programme brought together government officials, academicians, students and other stakeholders to discuss the importance of building a robust care economy for inclusive and sustainable development.
Addressing the gathering, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Dr. Sampath Kumar, IAS, outlined the state's vision of adopting a life-cycle approach to social welfare, emphasising care and support at every stage of life-from early childhood to old age.
Dr. Kumar said Meghalaya's development strategy recognises the different needs of citizens throughout their lives. He noted that nearly 25 per cent of the state's population falls within the Early Childhood Development (ECD) age group of 0–8 years, making investment in young children one of the government's highest priorities.
Explaining the significance of the care economy, he said it should not only be viewed as a sector that creates employment opportunities for caregivers but also as an investment that generates long-term economic returns. Proper nutrition, early stimulation and quality care during a child's formative years, he said, enhance cognitive development, improve educational outcomes and increase future productivity, ultimately contributing to stronger economic growth.
Highlighting the importance of parental involvement, Dr. Kumar stressed that fathers have a vital role to play in early childhood development and encouraged them to spend more quality time with their children, particularly during the early years when brain development is at its peak. Citing scientific evidence, he said nearly 90 percent of brain development takes place before a child reaches the age of five.
He further stated that Meghalaya is among the few states in the country implementing a comprehensive Early Childhood Development (ECD) pilot programme, which has attracted interest from several other states keen to learn from Meghalaya's model.
Dr. Kumar also said the initiative has already produced encouraging results, with more families enrolling their children in Anganwadi Centres and noticeable improvements in children's engagement and early learning. He expressed confidence that strengthening the care economy would not only improve child welfare but also contribute to inclusive economic growth and long-term social development in Meghalaya.
The workshop served as a platform for meaningful discussions on strengthening care systems and recognising caregiving as both a social responsibility and a key driver of economic development.
Among those present on the occasion were Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Meghalaya, Pravin Bakshi, IAS; Director of Social Welfare, Saloni Verma, IAS; Dr. C. Joshua Thomas; government officials; faculty members of Shillong College; students; and other invited guests.
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Tura, July 22, 2026: A Tabletop Exercise on dam safety and emergency preparedness was successfully conducted on Wednesday at the Conference Hall of the Office of the Superintending Engineer, Ganol SHP, MePDCL, Rongkon, Tura, as part of preparations for the Ganol Dam Mock Drill, which is scheduled to be held on Thursday (July 23) at 11:00 AM at the Ganol Dam site.
Organised under the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), West Garo Hills, in coordination with the Ganol Small Hydro Project (SHP), the exercise brought together officials from various government departments, emergency response agencies, Nokmas (village headmen), Sordar, Nokma Secretaries and community leaders from the low-lying villages downstream of the dam, who actively participated and shared their insights on disaster preparedness and emergency response.
The programme began with a welcome address by Jude Rangku T. Sangma, MCS, Chief Executive Officer, DDMA, West Garo Hills. A technical briefing on dam parameters, trigger levels and emergency scenarios was delivered by Enriques M. Sangma, AEE (Civil), Ganol SHP.
Retired Col. K.C. Monappa conducted the technical sessions, covering exercise classification, ground rules, inundation mapping and emergency response planning. Participants also took part in simulation-based discussions designed to assess preparedness, inter-agency coordination and decision-making during emergency situations. The session concluded with a structured debriefing, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Robson Ch. Marak, Superintending Engineer (Civil), Ganol SHP.
The Ganol Dam Mock Drill, scheduled for Thursday, will simulate a dam emergency scenario to evaluate the operational readiness of district authorities, emergency services and local communities. The exercise aims to strengthen coordinated response, improve disaster preparedness and ensure timely action in the event of any potential dam-related emergency in West Garo Hills, particularly for the vulnerable settlements located downstream of the dam.
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The Union Minister for Communications and Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER), Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, together with the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Conrad K. Sangma, today launched the “Mission Golden Spice – Integrated Lakadong Turmeric Value Chain Enhancement Project”, a ₹175.45-crore convergence-led initiative for turmeric cultivation and value-chain development in the State of Meghalaya. The Mission is designed as a phased, five-year roadmap (2025–2030), to be implemented in two phases — Value Chain Strengthening (Phase 1) followed by Expansion & Scale-up (Phase 2) — for promotion of Meghalaya’s Unique Selling Proposition (USP), the GI-tagged Lakadong Turmeric.
Anchored by MDoNER and the North Eastern Council (NEC), the Mission builds upon convergence with schemes and interventions of the Ministries of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Food Processing Industries and Commerce, along with APEDA, the Spices Board, the National Turmeric Board, ICAR, MeitY, NABARD, SFAC and the Government of Meghalaya for establishing an integrated turmeric value-chain ecosystem in the State.
Smt. Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary, MDoNER, in her introductory remarks, elaborated on the implementation framework of the Mission and highlighted the need for a mission-mode approach to unlock the full economic potential of Meghalaya's Lakadong turmeric. She underlined that despite its exceptionally high curcumin content (7–10%), distinctive aroma and strong nutraceutical potential, the income realised by smallholder growers remains limited due to inadequate processing facilities, insufficient infrastructure, weak market linkages and the lack of high-value addition. She noted that processed and export-grade products have the potential to command significantly higher prices in both domestic and international markets.
The Secretary further highlighted that the Mission seeks to systematically address the major structural gaps in the sector including post-harvest losses, lack of integrated cold chain infrastructure, absence of commercial-scale processing facilities, weak branding, and lack of structured GI monetisation and buyer linkage systems.
As part of the launch programme, a short film on the Golden Spice Mission was screened, followed by interactions with progressive turmeric farmers from Meghalaya and remarks by investors and industry representatives.
Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Union Minister, MDoNER, said the launch was part of Prime Minister Modi's vision for “Ashtalakshmi” — India's eight northeastern states — which he described as having moved from the periphery to the centre of India's developmental paradigm over the past twelve years. He said the Ministry had worked with the Chief Ministers of all 8 NE states to define a unique selling proposition (USP) for each state, and to promote each USP “bottom up as opposed to top down.” He noted that Lakadong turmeric's curcumin content is nearly four times the world average, and highlighted extraordinary role of women in turmeric production and processing.
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Shillong, July 20, 2026: The Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India successfully hosted the 14th Meeting of the BIMSTEC Sub-Group on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (SG-AML/CFT) in Shillong, India, on 20 July 2026. The Meeting brought together delegations from all seven BIMSTEC Member States, reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening regional cooperation in combating money laundering, terrorist financing, proliferation financing, and other evolving forms of financial crime.
The Meeting reviewed progress made since the 13th Meeting of the Sub-Group and exchanged views on national AML/CFT developments, emerging risks, evolving typologies and good practices. Recognising the increasingly transnational and technology-driven nature of financial crime, Member States underscored the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, timely information sharing, capacity building and the effective use of technology to enhance national and regional AML/CFT frameworks.
As a key outcome, the Meeting finalized the Paper on Illicit Flow of Funds (IFF) and the Action Plan to Prevent Illicit Financial Flows in the BIMSTEC Region, as well as the Memorandum of Understanding on Capacity Building for Combating Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, further strengthening the regional framework for cooperation, capacity building and collective action against financial crime. The Meeting also agreed to develop a BIMSTEC AML/CFT Work Plan (2026–2028) and emphasized the operationalization of the BIMSTEC AML/CFT Contact Point Network to deepen cooperation among Financial Intelligence Units.
The Meeting also discussed ways to effectively leverage BIMSTEC’s Observer Status in the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) to enhance regional capacity building, facilitate knowledge sharing, and strengthen Member States’ preparedness for forthcoming FATF mutual evaluations.
Member States also held substantive discussions on emerging risks associated with virtual assets, fintech platforms, artificial intelligence, trade-based money laundering, online fraud and other cyber-enabled financial crimes. The Meeting underscored the need for stronger regulatory frameworks, enhanced public-private partnerships, improved analytical capabilities and closer regional and international cooperation to effectively address these evolving challenges.
The Meeting adopted its Report and referred it to the 11th Meeting of the BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (JWG-CTTC) for consideration. Delegations expressed their appreciation to the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, Government of India for the excellent arrangements and warm hospitality extended to all participants. The Meeting also conveyed its appreciation to the BIMSTEC Secretariat for its continued coordination and support.
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Kilapara, West Garo Hills, July 14, 2026: A technical team from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India, visited the proposed river erosion mitigation project sites at ICP Kilapara in West Garo Hills on Tuesday afternoon to undertake a comprehensive field assessment of erosion-prone areas identified by the Government of Meghalaya.
The visit was conducted as part of the ongoing efforts to formulate sustainable and climate-resilient measures to address the growing threat of riverbank erosion in vulnerable regions of the State. The field inspection was coordinated by the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), West Garo Hills, under the leadership of the Deputy Commissioner and Chairman of DDMA, West Garo Hills in whose absence James D. Sangma, the District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO), West Garo Hills led the team.
The visiting NDMA technical team comprised Mr. Abhishek Sharma, Senior Research Officer, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Prof. Sumit Sen of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, and Mr. S. K. Ariful Hussain, Senior Consultant, NDMA.
Senior officials from the concerned Water Resources Department, DDMA department and Officers of the 22nd Battalion Border Security Force, Kilapara also accompanied the team during the inspection and provided first-hand information regarding the proposed intervention sites, existing erosion patterns, and the challenges faced by local communities due to riverbank erosion.
During the field visit, the team undertook an assessment of the geomorphological, hydraulic, hydrological, environmental and socio-economic conditions influencing erosion vulnerability in the area. The experts also examined the technical suitability and feasibility of various structural and non-structural mitigation measures proposed for the affected stretches.
The NDMA team interacted with officials of the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), district administration and other stakeholders to identify implementation constraints, priority interventions and critical gaps requiring attention during project formulation. The exercise is expected to facilitate the preparation of technically sound project proposals in accordance with the guidelines of the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF).
The visit also aimed at providing technical guidance and handholding support to the State Government in developing sustainable and scientifically viable river erosion mitigation strategies that enhance disaster resilience and protect vulnerable communities living along erosion-prone riverbanks.
The field assessment is expected to play a significant role in strengthening Meghalaya's preparedness and response mechanisms against river erosion hazards while supporting long-term community resilience and sustainable development in affected areas.
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Jowai, July 13, 2026: The Meghalaya AIDS Control Society today launched the HIV/AIDS Awareness Roadshow in West Jaintia Hills District at Ummulong Stand, Iawmusiang Jowai with the aim to strengthen community awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote informed health seeking behavior.
The roadshow was inaugurated by Smt. Emelya Ch. Momin, MCS, Assistant Commissioner, who attended the programme as the Chief Guest. Dr. Patricia Shylla, District Medical & Health Officer (DM&HO), West Jaintia Hills was also present along with officials from, the health department and MACS.
The Road Show aims to raise awareness public awareness of HIV/AIDS,Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), and evidence-based methods of prevention. It also seek to promote early HIV diagnosis by encouraging voluntary HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and increasing and raise awareness of free HIV testing services available across the State.
The road show will further improve public access to HIV related healthcare service by desiminating information on Integrated Counselling and Testing Centres (ICTCs), Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) Centres, Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) Centres, Link ART Centres, Prevention of Parent-to-Child Transmission (PPTCT) services, and other services under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP).
It also aims to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination by promoting accurate information,.empathy, inclusion, and respect for the rights and dignity of People Living with HIV (PLHIV).
As part of the initiative, the Blackbox mobile awareness vehicle will travel across West Jaintia Hills District and other district in coming weeks,screening HIV/AIDS bringing important information directly to the community.
The initiative aims to encourage greater awareness, prevention, early testing and informed conversations on HIV/AIDS.
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Kambakpara, South-West Garo Hills, July 10, 2026: For the people of Kambakpara village in South West Garo Hills, the inauguration of a new Government Lower Primary School building on Friday was more than the opening of a new structure—it marked the beginning of a new chapter in the village's long journey towards better educational opportunities.
The newly constructed building of Kambakpara Government LP School was inaugurated by Shri Sanjay A. Sangma, Hon'ble MLA of 54-(ST) Mahendraganj Constituency and Adviser to the Government of Meghalaya on Excise, in the presence of government officials, village elders, teachers, students and residents.
The occasion brought together generations of villagers, many of whom had once studied in the school that has served the community for almost seven decades.
Welcoming the gathering, village leader Rev. I.A. Sangma reflected on the institution's remarkable history. He recalled that Kambakpara Government LP School was established in 1957 as a venture school and has since remained a cornerstone of primary education for children from the village and neighbouring areas. Expressing gratitude to the MLA, he said the new school building fulfilled a long-cherished aspiration of the community and would provide a better learning environment for future generations.
In his address, Shri Sanjay A. Sangma reaffirmed the State Government's commitment to strengthening educational infrastructure across Meghalaya. He informed the gathering that the government is undertaking the construction of nearly 2,000 new school and college buildings across the state this year to improve access to quality education.
The MLA also highlighted several ongoing and upcoming development initiatives across the Mahendraganj Constituency. Besides educational infrastructure, he announced that indoor stadiums and mini stadiums would be developed in different parts of the constituency to encourage sports and promote holistic development among young people.
Government officials present at the function also underscored the significance of investing in education. Shri Raymond Zachary D. Shira, MCS, Additional Deputy Commissioner and Project Director, DRDA, Ampati, congratulated the people of Kambakpara on the completion of the new facility and said that quality infrastructure plays an important role in creating a conducive learning environment for children.
Similarly, Shri Emphul Ch. Marak, In-charge Sub-Divisional School Education Officer (SDSEO), Ampati, said that modern school infrastructure not only enhances teaching and learning but also motivates students to pursue education with greater confidence and enthusiasm.
The programme was presided over by Pastor Augustha R. Marak, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Shri Salmendro A. Sangma, Head Teacher of Kambakpara Government LP School. He acknowledged the contributions of the government, local leaders and villagers whose collective efforts made the project a reality.
For the children of Kambakpara, the new building represents more than bricks and mortar. It symbolises hope, opportunity and the community's enduring belief that education remains the strongest foundation for a brighter future. As students step into their new classrooms, the school that began as a humble venture institution in 1957 now stands equipped to continue shaping young minds for many years to come.
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Resubelpara, July 6, 2026: The week-long celebration of Cooperative Week culminated on Monday at the Mendipathar Multipurpose Cooperative Society Hall in North Garo Hills. The programme was organised by the Office of the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ARCS), East Garo Hills, under the theme "Cooperatives Build a Better Future for All."
The celebration, held from June 29 to July 6, commemorated the fifth Foundation Day of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India. Organised as a nationwide mission campaign, the initiative aims to take the Ministry's achievements, initiatives, and vision to people across the country while promoting the cooperative movement.
Chief Guest, Shri Donald Sangma, District Development Manager, NABARD, spoke on the role of NABARD in strengthening the cooperative sector through financial assistance to State Cooperative Banks, Rural Cooperative Banks, self-help groups, and cooperative societies. He informed that India has over 8.5 lakh registered cooperative societies and stressed the importance of effectively implementing cooperative initiatives to realise the vision of Viksit Bharat.
He also highlighted the introduction of the new Model Bye-laws for the formation of Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (MPACS) and informed that Multipurpose Dairy Cooperative Societies and Multipurpose Fisheries Cooperative Societies would soon become operational in North Garo Hills. He also encouraged members of the registered cooperative societies to actively strengthen and expand their societies.
Welcoming the gathering, Smt. R.M. Mawlong, Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, East Garo Hills, highlighted the various activities conducted throughout the week across East and North Garo Hills. These included programmes on cooperative transformation, digital cooperatives, financial literacy, farmer welfare, dairy and fishery cooperatives, grain storage, technology-enabled services, cooperative dialogues, public awareness, green growth, youth and women participation, and the dissemination of cooperative success stories.
Shri J.N. Sangma, Senior Registrar of Cooperative Societies, East Garo Hills, highlighted the significance of the Cooperative Department and the observance of Cooperative Week. He called for greater public participation and unity in promoting registered cooperative societies and elaborated on the importance of maintaining proper records, books of accounts, financial statements, statutory audits, and other essential governance practices for the effective functioning of cooperatives.
Branch Manager of the Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank (MCAB), Mendipathar Branch, Shri B.Ch. Momin, briefed participants on the bank's initiatives, including the implementation of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) programme, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) services, and financial support for storage infrastructure, while reaffirming the bank's commitment to strengthening cooperative institutions.
Speaking on the occasion, Smt. Chingme Momin, District Programme Manager, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), North Garo Hills, congratulated the Cooperative Department on the successful observance of the fifth Foundation Day celebrations. She appreciated the Government's efforts to promote cooperative societies and encouraged members to work together in strengthening their respective organisations.
Sister Rose Kayathinkara, Founder of the Mendipathar Multipurpose Cooperative Society, shared the society's transformative journey and highlighted its various livelihood and community development initiatives.
Among others who addressed the gathering were Shri T.G. Momin, Senior Cooperative Officer, Williamnagar, and Shri J.T.R. Sangma, Junior Cooperative Officer.
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Khliehriat, July 03, 2026: The District Level Inter-School Subroto Mukherjee Cup 2026, organized by the Office of the District Sport Officer (DSO), East Jaintia Hills District which commenced from 16th June 2026 culminated today at East Jaintia Hills District Sports Association (EJHDSA) Football Ground, Deinchynrum, East Jaintia Hills District.
This year’s final day of the tournament was attended by District School Education Officer (DSEO), East Jaintia Hills District, Shri R. Diengdoh in the presence of District Sports Officer (DSO), East Jaintia Hills District, Smti. S.M Rapsang, District Public Relations Officer (DPRO), East Jaintia Hills District, Shri E.S. War and other sports officials.
Addressing the gathering, District School Education Officer (DSEO), East Jaintia Hills District, Shri R. Diengdoh congratulated all the winning teams for their outstanding performance even as he noted that whether one wins or loses, the most important aspect of any competition is participation and the experience gained through it.
Further, he also encouraged the teams that were unable to secure victory this year not to lose hope but to continue working hard and strive for better results in the next season of the tournament even as he urged the students to remain disciplined, uphold the spirit of sportsmanship and grow into responsible members of society.
The tournament witnessed intense competition among the six enthusiastic teams playing in the final matches of the Under 15&Under 17 Boys and Under 17 Girls categories. Step By Step Secondary School and Wapung Higher Secondary School emerged as champions of the Under 15&Under 17 Boys Categories respectively while the Under 17 Girls Category was won by Lotus Secondary School after delivering impressive performances throughout the tournament.
In the Under-15 Boys Category Final, Step By Step Secondary School emerged as champion after defeating Musniang Secondary School by a wining margin on 1 goal to Nil. In the Under 17 Boys Category, Wapung Higher Secondary School emerged victorious by defeating Sein Raij Tuber Higher Secondary School by a margin of 4-3 in the tie breaker while in the Under-17 Girls category, Lotus Secondary School emerged champion by defeating Khliehriat Higher Secondary School by a winning margin of 2 goals to Nil.
At the end of the final matches, prizes were distributed to the winners and runners-up in all categories. Individual awards, including Best Goalkeeper and Best Player of the Tournament 2026 were also presented. Wanbanshan Lamare of Step By Step Secondary School was honoured as Best Goalkeeper of the Under-15 Boys Category, Redeemingson Phawa of Wapung Higher Secondary School in the Under-17 Boys Category while Haphisuk Lyngdoh of Lotus Secondary School was awarded as best Goalkeeper of the Under- 17 Girls Category.
Daowan Rymbai of Musniang Secondary School was adjudged the Best Player in the Under- 15 Boys Category, while Jefferson Phawa and Saphapaya Lyngdoh were adjudged the Best Players in the Under-17 Boys and Under-17 Girls Categories respectively.
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