Meghalaya’s revenue surplus has collapsed to a mere Rs 6.39 crore by the end of August 2026, down from Rs 833.27 crore for the same period last year, according to provisional accounts released by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The state’s regular income has stayed roughly flat, while its day‑to‑day expenditure has risen sharply, leaving almost no cushion.
Revenue receipts were Rs 6,647.62 crore by August 2026, a slight decline from Rs 6,691.30 crore in the corresponding period of 2025‑26. In contrast, revenue expenditure climbed to Rs 6,641.23 crore from Rs 5,858.03 crore a year earlier, a 13.4 per cent increase that left only a Rs 6.39 crore surplus. Meghalaya had budgeted a Rs 4,771.02 crore revenue surplus for 2026‑27, but only 0.13 per cent of that target had materialised by August, compared with 16.55 per cent achieved last year.
The rise in spending is driven by core revenue commitments: the core revenue account rose to Rs 3,146.49 crore from Rs 2,686.74 crore. Salaries and wages increased to Rs 2,127.98 crore from Rs 1,926.83 crore, pension payments climbed to Rs 929.59 crore from Rs 824.78 crore, and interest payments rose to Rs 437.17 crore from Rs 418.59 crore. Capital expenditure also grew, reaching Rs 1,076.99 crore by August versus Rs 803.15 crore a year earlier, a 34 per cent jump that now accounts for 14.48 per cent of the Rs 7,439.10 crore capital budget for 2026‑27.
On the revenue side, tax collections fell to Rs 5,348.39 crore from Rs 5,527.17 crore, even though GST and sales tax collections rose. The decline in the state’s share of Union taxes—from Rs 4,059.46 crore to Rs 3,725.40 crore—offset these gains. The overall fiscal deficit at the end of August stood at Rs 1,060.25 crore, against a budget estimate of Rs 2,671.67 crore for the year. Total receipts of Rs 7,718.23 crore matched total expenditure of Rs 7,718.22 crore, with capital receipts and borrowings forming a key part of the state’s financing.
