SHILLONG, October 13: Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla on Tuesday said Meghalaya would provide stipends to young people representing the State at international events, as the government seeks to expand opportunities for young talent through cultural exposure and competitive platforms. Speaking at the Chief Minister’s Youth Engagement Programme 2026 at Lariti, Shillong, Shylla also claimed that 52 per cent of Meghalaya’s population was below the age of 20 and highlighted that the State government had increased the Sports Department’s budget over the past seven to eight years, with the annual allocation reaching Rs 844 crore this year, the highest in recent years.
“We have decided that we will be giving stipen for those who are going for international event. Confidence is very important,” Shylla said, stressing the importance of confidence in helping young people develop their talents and pursue opportunities at higher levels.
The minister said the youth engagement programme was being conducted at the block, district and State levels to expand its reach and ensure participation at the grassroots. Young people from various districts attended the State-level programme, which provides a platform to showcase their talents and skills, build confidence and compete with others. He said the participants had been selected from among approximately 17,000 youths who took part in the initiative.
“Meghalaya is a very young state and 52 percent of the population right now in the state of Meghalaya is below the age of 20 years, we have a very young population where as government we should understand our policies and schemes, what our project will being in our state, most of these will be used by our youth,” Shylla said.
Highlighting the increase in sports funding, Shylla said the higher allocation reflected the State government’s growing focus on sports and youth development.
“We have increased the budget of the sports department in the last seven eight years as, this year the annual sports budget was Rs 844 crores. That itself shows the jump,” he said.
The programme featured a solo performance by Shellevah N. Jyrwa and a group performance by Kawei Ka Sur, showcasing the creative talents of young participants from across Meghalaya.
