Shillong, July 13 -- Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday praised Meghalaya's progress under chief minister Conrad K Sangma, calling the state a model of effective and purposeful development. She highlighted the state's exemplary utilisation of its entire allocation of Rs.5,400 crore under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), setting an example for other states. Speaking at an interactive session in Shillong, Sitharaman said, "While some states are unable to fully utilise their shares, Meghalaya has effectively used its entire allocation to build capital assets. I will put on record my appreciation of Meghalaya's efforts." She also pointed out key development achievements in the state, including the construction of over 540km roads and a five-fold increase in optical fibre coverage since 2014. The session, hosted by the government of Meghalaya, in collaboration with the department of financial services, CBIC, and CBDT, saw vibrant participation from senior officials, including CBIC chairman Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and CBIC member Mohan Kumar Singh. Sitharaman felicitated Meghalaya's top women taxpayers-Rimiful Shylla and Wanjoplin-for their stellar contribution to the national tax ecosystem. "When women lead with integrity and commitment, they inspire an entire generation," she said. She also encouraged stakeholders to channel their proposals through respective ministries and the ministry of DoNER for structured follow-up, assuring that the Centre remained invested in realising a "an innovation-driven Northeast"....