As India aspires to become a developed economy by 2047, the Centre will extend complete legislative and policy support to the North-eastern region to help each state realise its individual development vision, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said during her Meghalaya visit.
Speaking at the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) North-East Conclave 2025 held at IIM Shillong, Sitharaman emphasised the importance of aligning regional ambitions with the national goal. “We shall work together with the government of Meghalaya to ensure the aspirations are understood and we take that vision forward. The Prime Minister gives a great emphasis on North East,” she said.
Sitharaman cited the economic roadmap laid out by the Meghalaya government and said the Centre will ensure that “every part of the North-east gets legislative and policy support, which is required” to pursue its goals.
Citing Meghalaya’s vision to become a $30 billion economy by 2030, the minister stressed the importance of inclusive rural participation. “In order to reach the $30 billion economy for Meghalaya by 2030, we need every village to contribute to this ambition of the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma,” she said, adding that such targets were integral to the larger national ambition.
Also read: FM Nirmala Sitharaman begins four-day official visit to Meghalaya
The Finance Minister concluded her four-day visit to Meghalaya on Sunday with a stop at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram School in Sohra, as per an official release.
Addressing women’s self-help groups during one of her engagements in the state, Sitharaman also spotlighted the Centre’s targeted support towards rural women’s collectives. “Since 2014, a concerted push has been made to support women’s collectives by improving access to credit, training, branding support, and market linkages,” she said.
She particularly highlighted the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which envisions enabling at least five women per village to earn a sustainable income of ₹1 lakh annually.
“Each state, with its own development vision, will contribute to India’s development journey,” she noted, reinforcing the Centre’s position that regional growth strategies are pivotal to national progress.
During her four-day visit to Meghalaya, the Finance Minister attended the IICA North-East Conclave 2025 at IIM Shillong, visited the startup exhibition showcasing local innovations, interacted with women's self-help groups supporting the Lakhpati Didi initiative, and addressed students at the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram School in Sohra. She also visited the iconic living root bridge in Mawlynnong, often cited as Asia’s cleanest village.
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