The party has picked holes in the awarding of public works contracts, employment generation, health sector
SHILLONG, March 6: Alleging that government spending in the state has not resulted in an equitable distribution of wealth, the Meghalaya Congress on Friday claimed that a substantial portion of public works contracts has been awarded to a limited number of contractors.
Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee leader Manuel Badwar said the party analysed the deficit Budget passed by the Assembly. Data obtained from the Public Works Department showed that between 2000 and 2022, the department spent more than Rs 760 crore on various public works projects, of which over Rs 425 crore was awarded to a single party.
He said that such a concentration of contracts runs contrary to the broader purpose of public spending. “When the government creates assets through public works, the benefits should ideally be distributed among many contractors so that wealth creation reaches more people. But what we are seeing is that a very large share of the spending is going to very few people,” he added.
Badwar said the Congress organised the briefing to help the public better understand the state budget, stressing that the objective was not simply to point out shortcomings but to examine how government expenditure is affecting citizens.
He noted that while Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has highlighted an increase in capital expenditure—estimated at over Rs 6,300 crore for 2025-26—the Congress believes the spending has not translated into tangible benefits for the broader population.
“Capital expenditure includes both asset creation and loan repayments. Over the past six years, loan repayments have increased significantly, and the amount is quite alarming,” Badwar said. He further stated that unemployment continues to be a major concern in the state. “In Meghalaya, the unemployment rate is over 6%, while urban unemployment exceeds 12%. If such large sums are being spent on asset creation, the benefits should reach more people and generate wider employment opportunities,” he said.
Badwar also questioned the government’s claims of improved investment in the health sector. He pointed out that the allocation for health has risen from Rs 1,142 crore in 2020 to about Rs 2,000 crore in 2025-26, but argued that rising healthcare inflation has reduced the actual impact of the increased spending.
“The inflation rate in the health sector is very high, nearly 14%. So, even if the government doubles spending, the real improvement on the ground may not be as significant,” he said.
Referring to figures from the state’s socioeconomic review, Badwar further claimed that several health indicators have shown limited progress. He noted that only about 70% of mothers deliver in institutional facilities, while nearly 30% still give birth at home, often without proper medical assistance.
On education, he said the government’s proposed allocation of Rs 3,347 crore for the upcoming financial year is lower than the Rs 3,654 crore spent in the previous fiscal year.
“This effectively means a reduction of nearly Rs 300 crore in education spending. At a time when school dropout rates are increasing, reducing investment in education will only worsen the situation,” he said.
Badwar also expressed concern over potential social consequences if employment guarantees under rural job schemes are altered, warning that reduced income opportunities for families—especially single mothers—could lead to more children dropping out of school.
Highlighting poverty as an ongoing challenge, he cited data showing that around 27.79 per cent of the state’s population lives in multidimensional poverty.
“With nearly 9 to 10 lakh people already facing poverty, the government must prioritise sectors like education, health and employment. Otherwise, the gap between the rich and the poor will continue to widen,” Badwar said.
He urged the government to ensure that public expenditure generates broader opportunities and benefits a larger section of society, particularly the youths.
