Demographic Advantage

As per the census of 2011, the total population of Meghalaya stood at 2,964,007, and the population density of the state was 132 per sq km. Out of the total population, the male population stood at 1,492,668, and the female population stood at 1,471,339.

The worker population ratio in the state for 2022–23 was 65.8%.  The literacy rate of the state, as per the 2011 census, was 74.4%, out of which the male literacy rate was 76% and the female literacy rate was 72.9%.

Educational Facilities

The literacy rate of the state as per the 2011 Census was 74.4%, out of which the male literacy rate was 76%, and the female was 72.9%. As per the Unified District Information System for Education 2021-22, the total number of students enrolled in elementary education was 7.7 Lakh, the total number of students enrolled in secondary education was 1.2 Lakh, and the total number of students enrolled in higher secondary education was 63,044. The state has 9,223 primary schools and 3,529 upper primary schools. According to the All India Survey of Higher Education 2021-22, the state boasts 11 universities and 77 colleges.

As per the Economic Survey 2022-23, the gross enrollment ratio of Meghalaya for elementary schools is 155.7%, for secondary schools is 85.1%, for senior secondary schools is 46%, and for higher education is 25.8%.

Technology & Advancement

Meghalaya Industrial Policy is framed for the ease of doing business and increasing trade and commerce. The added advantage is that the climate in Meghalaya is good for the development of electronic chips.

In the National Start-up Rankings of States 2021, Meghalaya stood as the leader among UTs and northeastern states while Mizoram was listed as an emerging start-up ecosystem.

Meghalaya has 325 startups registered in the state for agriculture and food processing, the highest number among all other sectors.

Some of the best educational institutions in the NER are situated in Meghalaya, including IIM Shillong, Northeast Hill University, and NEGRIMS.

Infrastructure Details

Meghalaya has a road network of 13,000 km, and its road density is 0.48 km per sq km. The state has six national highways connecting Guwahati and other major cities. The Government of India is also planning to develop the BBIN2 corridor to connect Meghalaya with Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. A network of over 4800 km of roads is being developed under other programs, such as the Special Accelerated Road Development Program (SARDP) for the Northeast, the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, and the Shillong Smart City Program.  Intra-state passenger connectivity is facilitated by bus terminals in Phulbari, Tura, William Nagar, Sonapahar, and Shillong, while inter-state connectivity is handled by ISBT in Shillong and Tura.

There is one airport in the state, which is called Umroi Airport (30 km from Shillong), and other nearby airports are in Assam, Borjhar, and Guwahati Airport, about 124 km from Shillong. The state has three helipads: Upper Shillong, Umroi, and Tura.  Meghalaya is well connected to Guwahati by road and air services.

Guwahati is the nearest major railway station connecting the northeast region with the rest of the country through a broad-gauge track network. The state currently has 22 km of railway tracks, and work is in progress regarding rail links with Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim.

Two border haats are currently functional at Kalaichar, West Garo Hills District, and Balat, East Khasi Hills District. Four new border haats are currently undergoing implementation.

Sustainability Initiatives

Meghalaya offers hydroelectric power potential of approx. 3,000 MW. The state has a total renewable energy capacity of 395.02 MW, comprising 55.03 MW of small hydropower, 13.80 MW of biopower, 4.19 MW of solar power, and 322 MW of large hydropower.

The state has a total power generation capacity from various sources of 767.72 MUs (Mn Units), which includes 53.60 MU from small hydro and 714.12 MU from large hydro (excluding imports from Bhutan).

The state has 28 e-charging stations under the FAME-II (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) initiative of the government of India.

The cumulative number of small biogas plants installed as of March 2022 in the state was 11,156.