New Delhi, May 15 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday said the state’s economy has doubled over the last five years, as he highlighted Meghalaya’s rapid infrastructure expansion and investment potential at the curtain raiser of the North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition 2026 in the national capital.

The curtain-raiser event, organised at Meghalaya House in New Delhi, outlined the roadmap for the two-day North East India Infrastructure Summit and Exhibition, scheduled to be held in Shillong on June 11 and 12.

The summit is expected to bring together Union Ministers, Chief Ministers of all Northeastern states, policymakers, investors, infrastructure developers, financial institutions, and industry leaders.

Addressing the gathering, Sangma said Meghalaya has emerged as one of the fastest-growing economies in the country with sustained growth over the past several years.

“Meghalaya’s economy has doubled in the last five years, while capital investment has increased four times compared to what it was in 2018,” the Chief Minister said.

He added that the state has consistently maintained strong economic momentum for the last three to four years, which has boosted investor confidence.

He said the state government has introduced large incentives under the Meghalaya Industrial Promotion Policy to attract investments across sectors and stressed that Meghalaya has built one of the strongest entrepreneurial ecosystems among smaller states in the country.

Highlighting the growth of the information technology sector, Sangma said Meghalaya’s first information technology park is already operating at full capacity, while the upcoming second information technology park has received overwhelming interest from national and global companies.

“We are now moving towards further expansion of information technology infrastructure to create more opportunities for our youth,” he said.

The Chief Minister also underlined Meghalaya’s rising profile in tourism, sports, and the creative economy.

He noted that the state’s Living Root Bridges are India’s sole nomination for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage List for 2026, while Shillong has increasingly earned recognition as the country’s music capital.

Meghalaya is also preparing to host the 39th National Games in 2027.

Secretary, Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region, Sanjay Jaju, praised Meghalaya’s rapid growth trajectory and described it as one of the fastest-growing states in the country, with a growth rate of 13–14 per cent.

Referring to the Northeast as “Ashtalakshmi”, Jaju said the region occupies a central place in India’s development vision and highlighted Meghalaya as an emerging hub for infrastructure, tourism, investment, and entrepreneurship.

The upcoming summit is expected to witness participation from key Union Ministries, including Road Transport and Highways, Civil Aviation, Tourism, Communications, Ports and Shipping, Commerce and Industry, and the Ministry of Development of the North Eastern Region.

–IANS

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