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Shillong | June 25 |
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today inaugurated the revamped “Williamson Sangma Meghalaya State Museum” at the premises of the U Soso Tham Auditorium, Shillong.

The inaugural ceremony was graced by the presence of Minister for Arts and Culture, Paul Lyngdoh, and Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal.

The museum has been completely redesigned to offer a modern and immersive experience, with state-of-the-art technology including QR-based exhibits and interactive digital displays. The Chief Minister expressed that the initiative is part of a broader vision to celebrate, document, and preserve the state’s rich cultural heritage while promoting a sustainable creative economy.

“It’s not just about maintaining our identity and preserving it. The bigger question is how we make it more creative, how we incorporate our cultural heritage and convert it into an economy in itself,” he said.

He announced that the Education Department will issue directions for all students to mandatorily visit the museum, underlining the importance of instilling cultural awareness and appreciation among youth.

To expand outreach, similar museums will be set up in different parts of the state, starting with Tura. Designs are already being considered for new projects in other major district headquarters.

He informed that through the Chief Minister’s Research Grant (CMRG), research on various aspects of culture and development has been initiated. He stated that a review of the research has showcased interesting developments, including the development of AI-based translation and phonetic tools for local languages, the rediscovery and documentation of 71 traditional Garo games, and the exploration of archaeological tourism in the Garo Hills, with ancient stone monoliths that may date back to 1200 BC.

“These findings will be compiled into publicly accessible booklets and academic resources, further strengthening cultural literacy in the state,” he said.

Speaking on Meghalaya’s efforts to drive a creative economy by promoting cultural entrepreneurship, he stated that through the PRIME Program, local entrepreneurs are being supported to manufacture high-quality souvenirs and handicrafts.

“Other countries like Vietnam are exporting bamboo-based products; we too have immense potential to develop similar industries rooted in local resources,” he added.

Highlighting the government-run OTT platform, “Hello Meghalaya”, he said that the platform has become a key instrument in documenting and promoting local culture, music, and history through films, documentaries, and digital content.

“What we started with Hello Meghalaya has now become a reference point across the country. This platform is giving voice to our culture in a very engaging and creative way,” he said.

Stating that a parish in Sohra is home to a relic of St. Don Bosco – making it one of only a handful of such sites in the world, he said, “The government plans to promote this heritage site through the Tourism Department and explore ways to preserve and present it to visitors.”

Reflecting on his first visit to the museum in 2018, which inspired this transformation, he said, “When I first visited the museum, I was disappointed. Today, I am proud to see how far we have come. This museum is not just a building – it is a living testament to our identity, our creativity, and our future.”

The chief minister and other dignitaries also took part in the Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, which was observed today, to mark the 50th year of imposition of the Emergency in India.

The Samvidhan Hatya Diwas is a solemn reminder of a time when constitutional freedoms were suspended, and democratic institutions were put under strain.

On this day, we are reminded of the importance of safeguarding our Constitution and the rights it guarantees. It calls upon citizens, to remain vigilant in upholding the values of justice, liberty, equality, and democracy — the pillars on which our Republic stands.

During the programme, Commemorative stamp on Captain Williamson Sangma was released and was handed over to the family. The stamp was received by Captain Sangma’s youngest daughter Rebecca Momin.

Initiatives : Agriculture

Launch of “Restart Meghalaya Mission’ on 15th August 2020

The Mission comprise of a series of interventions to support farmers and entrepreneurs by enabling them to build growth-promoting basic infrastructure and services. Under this Mission, 1917iTEAMS – the IT Platform aimed at enabling farmers access to agricultural information, crop advisories and markets will be expanded logistically through induction of another 100 vehicles.

Creation of the Directorate of Food Processing on May 2018

With the objective of seizing opportunities in the sector and the untapped food processing potential of the state for uplifting the livelihoods of farmers and value chain actors, the Government of Meghalaya created the Directorate of Food Processing (DFP) as a one-stop agency to handle all matters relating to food processing in the state and to deal with all central government Ministries and Agencies (viz. Ministries of Agriculture, and Food Processing, SFAC, NCDC, NABARD, etc.) in all matters pertaining to the development of agricultural food processing sector.

First Ever Farmer’s Parliament held on 4th - 5th December 2018

The parliament was organised by the state department of agriculture in collaboration with Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) and the Hill Farmers' Union (HFU). As a step toward the promotion of new technologies, HFU with the support of Meghalaya government, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a Machine Learning Artificial Intelligence App for farmers — called Nongrep (nongrep in Khasi language means farmer) with its software partner Impetus Solutions from Hyderabad — as a social innovation project. This app will address matters of farm aggregations, soil health and disease identification, crop yield, farm produce pickups, market linkage and retail sellers app.

Launch of the Farmer’s Portal on 7th May 2018

The Meghalaya Famers’ Portal (www.megfarmers.gov.in) of the Department of Agriculture is a platform for farmers to seek any information related to agriculture. Detailed information on farmers’ insurance, agricultural storage, crops, extension activities, seeds, pesticides, farm machineries, etc. is provided. Details of fertilizers, market prices, package and practices, programmes, welfare schemes are also given.

Awards & Recognitions
  • Meghalaya has been selected for the Commendation award in 'Total foodgrains Category-III' for 2017-18. The award consists of a citation and an amount of Rs. 1 crore.
  • Meghalaya Agriculture Department and the MIE Meghalaya Team won the '7th eNabling North East (eNorth East) Award 2019-20' in the 'Agriculture & Rural Development' category for 1917 iTEAMS project which is a project in collaboration with Digital India.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi awarded Meghalaya on May 2018 the Krishi Commendation Award for the year 2015-16, in recognition of the commendable foodgrains production achieved by the State.
  • Meghalaya has been adjudged the Most Improved Small State in the category of Agriculture and received the India Today – "The State of the States” Award on 23rd November 2018.