Overview

• Sitharaman pledged to empower local communities in eco-sensitive areas to set their own development boundaries, balancing preservation with growth.
• She called for sector-specific proposals to be routed through the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region for timely evaluation under participatory policy frameworks.
• The Centre backed expanded optical fibre connectivity and inaugurated or laid foundations for Rs 1,087.81 crore in projects to link rural artisans and farmers to broader markets.
• Meghalaya’s women-led self-help group movement will receive a reinforced Rs 1,000 crore corpus under the Lakhpati Didi initiative, contributing to improved livelihoods and maternal health gains.
• Top women taxpayers were honoured as the government committed to simplifying tax and financial frameworks while aligning with Meghalaya’s drive to reach a $10 billion economy by 2028 under federal schemes.