Meghalaya has recovered from revenue loss due to NGT ban on

Informing that the Meghalaya government has recovered from the NGT ban on coal mining and transportation, which used to be the main source of revenue, officials today said the state's fiscal health is in good condition.
In a presentation made by the Finance and Planning departments before the Meghalaya State Planning Board, the board's co-chairman J F Kharshiing said the state has managed to weather the storm due to the NGT ban on coal mining and transportation.
"The NGT ban has had a big impact on the revenue source of the state. However, the state government has managed to recover," he said.

On the non-tax revenue collection of the state, Kharshiing said "While in 2013 it was Rs 596 crore, this was reduce to Rs 343 crore in 2014-15 and last year the amount went down to Rs 228 crore."
However, he said the state's own tax revenue was projected at Rs 1,058 crore, higher than Rs 939 crore generated in 2014-15.
He said the Centre has agreed to allow implementation of centrally sponsored schemes under 90:10 pattern in 11 states including eight in NE states.

Stating that huge chunk of non-plan expenditure was on salary, the co-chairman said "Of the total expenditure of Rs 7,617 crore during 2015-16, Rs 3,004 crore was on salary, Rs 588 crore on pension, Rs 466 crore on interest and Rs 1,269 crore on capital payment."

Asked on the recent closures of retail wine shops in view of the amended Excise Rules, the MSPB official said Rs 141 crore was generated from excise department in 2015-16 and Rs 170 crore in 2015-16.
"The department has projected to generate Rs 238 crore in 2016-17," he said adding the board was on its job to find out if there was an impact due to the closures.