Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday announced that 92 villages in Meghalaya have been included in the second phase of the Centre’s Vibrant Villages Programme.
“These 92 villages from Meghalaya are becoming the first villages of India,” Sitharaman told reporters, emphasising their strategic and developmental significance. The villages, located along the Bangladesh border, have been identified for focused development aimed at boosting infrastructure and connectivity in border regions that are crucial for national security and local upliftment.
The finance minister further stated that she would personally visit some of these border villages during her trip to Meghalaya to interact with local communities and assess development progress on the ground. She added that the Vibrant Villages Programme is not limited to Meghalaya but is also being implemented in villages situated along India’s international borders with Myanmar, Tibet, China, and Nepal.
Highlighting the Centre’s robust financial backing to Meghalaya, Sitharaman said, “The Finance Ministry oversees the central transfer of taxation. I just want to draw your attention to how much tax money has been devolved to Meghalaya.”
She drew a stark comparison between two decades. From 2004 to 2014, Meghalaya received ₹7,273 crore in tax devolution. This figure soared to ₹48,883 crore between 2014 and 2024—marking a massive 572% increase.
Similarly, central grants and aid also surged. During 2004–2014, Meghalaya received ₹19,700 crore as grant-in-aid. In contrast, the 2014–2024 period recorded ₹40,452 crore in grants to the state.
Touching on post-COVID recovery, the minister highlighted the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASKI)—a 50-year interest-free loan initiative. “Since 2020, ₹5.4 lakh crore has been released to all states under SASKI. From this, Meghalaya alone has received ₹5,471 crore,” Sitharaman revealed.
She pointed to the extensive digitisation under the Centre’s reforms, noting that more than 90% of land maps across states have been digitised, and that all states have adopted a digitised public account system. In addition, 22 states have shown growth in capital expenditures.
Only in Meghalaya, Sitharaman said, 67 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have been established to empower the farming community and enhance rural income generation.
She also denied any spike in inflation and reiterated the government’s commitment to fiscal discipline and capital investment. The minister concluded with a mention of the PM Internship Programme, underscoring the Centre’s focus on youth engagement and economic revitalisation.
