New Industrial Policy adopted in Meghalaya
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network

Shillong, December 15 2012: Meghalaya government today approved the new 'Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy 2012' by replacing the 1997 policy to address issues related to 'land-alienation' besides encouraging and promoting local indigenous entrepreneurs along the international borders of the state.

"We have decided that the Industrial Policy 1997 need to be review, revised and replace by a new 'appropriate', 'attractive', 'effective' and 'balance' industrial policy which the department concerned has done due diligence and have completed the exercise," Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma told reporters after the Cabinet meeting held here on Saturday.

Stating that the main component of the new policy is to address the issues pertaining to land, he said, "As far as land required to be provided to industries is concerned, the policy adopted is designed to address this issue keeping in mind the issue of land which have to an extend alienated because of the earlier policy." According to him, the earlier policy has failed to safeguard on the issue of land in the state.

"We have carefully structure this policy in a manner that land which are made available for the industry will not be having any outright transfer� all land made available for any investment in the state for industry will be only on lease basis via government," Mukul stated.

"If the land no longer use for industries, it will be revert-back to the government adding the land also provided will be commensurate to the actual need of the land by the industries not more than what they required," he said even as he added in the past what we have seen some industries have actually acquired land which is much more in-term of the size than what is actually required leading to increased alienation of land.

Besides, with the new policy in place, the government desires to promote local indigenous entrepreneurs to set up small and micro industries especially in the Indo-Bangla borders of the state which the government termed as 'difficult-areas' .

"We want to ensure that our young entrepreneurs of the state are given the needing mentoring by the government in a manner that they are in a position to come up as prospector investors," he said.

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