From Our Reporter
SOHRA, Jan 10: The Meghalaya Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, announced a series of crucial decisions on Wednesday aimed at uplifting workers, addressing employment concerns, and supporting farmers in distress.
One of the decisions was the revision of minimum wages across all categories of workers in the state. The Chief Minister highlighted that the floor rates for minimum wages have been increased significantly. For unskilled workers, the wages have risen from Rs 419 to Rs 525, while semi-skilled workers will now receive Rs 565, up from Rs 474. Skilled workers’ wages have been increased from Rs 530 to Rs 605, and highly skilled workers will see an increase from Rs 586 to Rs 645.
In another worker-centric move, the cabinet amended the Meghalaya Building and Other Construction Workers Regulation of Employment and Conditions Rules, 2008. The amendment enhances benefits for the approximately 80,000–85,000 registered construction labourers in the state. “The revised rules will provide additional benefits in areas such as medical assistance, disability support, and educational support for the children of registered labourers. This will result in greater welfare for families and labourers,” he said.
Addressing longstanding employment issues, the cabinet decided to regularise ad-hoc employees appointed before 2007. They were missed out in the list of 3000. This decision complies with a Supreme Court directive mandating either the regularisation or termination of such employees, with future recruitment conducted through formal procedures.
“In 2022, we regularised 3,000 ad-hoc employees appointed before 2007 against sanctioned posts. However, approximately 850 eligible employees were inadvertently excluded from the process,” Sangma revealed. “Today, the cabinet has decided to regularise these employees, ensuring they receive the same treatment as their counterparts. This is a one-time measure.”
Launch of CM Assure for farmers
In order to support farmers, the cabinet approved a new initiative called CM Assure, designed to stabilise market prices for non-perishable agricultural products. The programme will operate with a Rs 100-crore corpus, including Rs 20 crore from the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
Highlighting the need for such an initiative, the Chief Minister pointed out the instability in market prices for products like broomsticks and areca nuts. “Market volatility has been a persistent issue, causing distress to farmers. Government intervention is essential to offer stability and protect farmers during challenging times,” he stated.
Under the CM Assure programme, the government, through marketing boards, will procure non-perishable items from farmers at fair prices and resell them to ensure market stability. This initiative is expected to alleviate financial burdens on farmers and provide them with a safety net during periods of low demand or fluctuating prices.
Delegation of Financial Powers
Executive engineers in the Fisheries Department have been granted financial powers similar to those in other department which will enable them to undertake smaller works without seeking approvals repeatedly.
Additional Leave for Organ Transplantation
Government employees undergoing human organ transplantation will now be entitled to six months of additional leave to facilitate the process and recovery.
Republic Day Salute List
The cabinet has finalised the list for the salute during the Republic Day celebrations on January 26.
Amendment to Meghalaya Factories Rules, 1980
Licenses that earlier required annual renewal can now be extended for up to 10 years, as per the Government of India’s ease of doing business recommendations. Also provisions introduced to permit women to work night shifts in factories, subject to 25 mandatory safety measures, including CCTV monitoring and other mechanisms. Meghalaya is the second state in the Northeast to implement this reform after Assam, after the Central Govt amended the rules.
Meghalaya Ceiling on Government Guarantees Bill, 2025
A new bill will be introduced to regulate and cap the state government’s guarantees on loans taken by agencies like MeECL, MTDC, and MTC. The bill will provide a framework for annual limits and guidelines for issuing such guarantees.
Amendment to Meghalaya Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2006
The fiscal deficit cap for the state government has been revised from 3% to 3.5%, as permitted by the Government of India.
New Shillong Water Supply Scheme
District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) and the Deputy Commissioner have been tasked with facilitating land acquisition for the New Shillong Water Supply Scheme.
Amendment to Meghalaya Civil Service Commutation of Pension Rules, 1992
The existing rules have been repealed and replaced with new rules to simplify and streamline the commutation process for pensioners.
Assured Career Promotion Scheme (ACPS)
Under the ACPS, government employees without promotion opportunities will see an upgrade in their pay scale every 12 years, even without a formal promotion.