Meghalaya homestay mission: How to get 70% subsidy to start or upgrade a hostel

Can a state build enough beds for a national sporting event and still leave behind something for its own people once the crowds leave? Meghalaya's government seems to be betting yes. In February this year, chief minister Conrad K. Sangma announced a scheme offering 70 per cent subsidy support for homestays across the state, timed to meet accommodation demand ahead of the National Games 2027. The announcement came at the Land Handover ceremony for the proposed five-star Holiday Inn Resort at Hotel Polo Orchid in Tura, an event organised by the department of tourism. Here's a breakdown of what the scheme involves and how it fits into Meghalaya's larger tourism ambitions.Idea behind the schemeThe plan, floated as part of what the government has called the CM's Meghalaya Homestay Mission Scheme, asks residents to build or upgrade homestays that double up as sports hostels during the National Games.