Shillong, September 15: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the formation of the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Society to bring various passenger transport services under a unified digital platform, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said on Tuesday.
Briefing the media after the Cabinet meeting, Sangma said the proposed society would facilitate the integrated management of public transport and other mobility-related services across the State.
Under the initiative, an online platform and mobile application will be developed to allow citizens and tourists to book bus and taxi services as well as helicopter tickets. Additional transport-related services will be incorporated into the platform gradually.
“The objective is to bring different modes of transportation onto a single, unified platform and make travel services more accessible and convenient,” the Chief Minister said.
The Cabinet also approved the creation of a dedicated Civil Aviation Wing within the Transport Department to strengthen the State’s institutional and administrative capacity in the aviation sector.
Sangma said the decision was prompted by the proposed expansion of the runway at Shillong Airport in Umroi, the anticipated operation of larger aircraft, the planned activation of Baljek Airport and the development of helipads across Meghalaya.
The Civil Aviation Wing will also oversee emerging initiatives such as helicopter-based tourism and other aviation-related services. Dedicated officials will be assigned to manage the sector and coordinate the State’s expanding aviation infrastructure and operations.
Cabinet Revises IMFL Tax Structure, Expects ₹150 Crore Additional Revenue
Shillong, September 15: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the reclassification of Indian-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) plants and revised the State’s liquor taxation structure to streamline revenue collection and reduce price differences with neighbouring states.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the Cabinet decided to merge the Value Added Tax (VAT), previously administered by the Taxation Department, with excise duty collected by the Excise Department.
Under the revised arrangement, the two components will be collected as a single ad valorem levy by the Excise Department. For instance, if a product previously attracted ₹100 in excise duty and ₹100 in VAT, it will now carry a consolidated levy of ₹200.
Sangma said the unified system would simplify taxation, strengthen monitoring and improve revenue collection.
The Cabinet also approved an increase in excise duties on certain liquor products following rate revisions in neighbouring states. The move is aimed at narrowing existing price differences and is expected to generate around ₹150 crore in additional annual revenue.
Meghalaya Cabinet Amends Film Policy, Tightens Eligibility for Incentives
Shillong, September 15: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved amendments to the Meghalaya Film Policy, 2025, aimed at clarifying and strengthening eligibility criteria for financial incentives available to filmmakers.
Under the revised provisions, films produced in regional languages will qualify for incentives only if they are screened in at least 100 cinema halls or released on a recognised national or international digital platform.
The Cabinet also amended the provision providing a ₹10 lakh incentive to films released on the State’s Hello Meghalaya platform.
Filmmakers will no longer be required to release their films exclusively on Hello Meghalaya and may also distribute them through national platforms.
However, films uploaded on Hello Meghalaya must include Khasi, Garo and English subtitles or dubbing, as prescribed under the amended policy.
