Road projects for Mawlynnong, Mawsmai

SHILLONG: The Ministry of DoNER has sanctioned a road project for Mawlynnong for an alternate route to Asia’s cleanest village.
The project will be fully funded by the Centre under North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS).
DoNER secretary Naveen Verma told a section of the media that besides the Mawlynnong project, a road to Mawsmai caves has also been sanctioned under the scheme.
“The aim of the scheme is to augment water supply, power and connectivity to these areas which have tourism potential,” he said.
The secretary of DoNER further added that a water supply augmentation project each for Shillong and Sohra were also sanctioned.
“These are big projects we are trying to support. Our projects… are normally Rs 20 crore and above,” he said. He pointed to the projects of the North Eastern Council which have a major thrust on livelihood, floriculture potential and orchids in Meghalaya and strategies to expand such ventures.
Huge infra demands
Verma pointed out that though Meghalaya is making a lot of progress, yet the huge demand on the infrastructure front poses a problem.
“Meghalaya has a climate where is a lot of rainfall. We don’t have railways and use roads which require maintenance that is a demand which will always be there,” he said.
He said youth must find the strong points of the place and focus on areas like bamboo, medicinal plants, home-stays, orchids and organic tea, among others.
“Let us look at those areas where with small amounts, we can make a difference. If a person from Andhra Pradesh can sell fish in the North East without subsidy, why can’t you sell a product to the rest of the North East without subsidy,” Verma said.
Urging people to take advantage of the North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd, he said there is a need to increase entrepreneurship in the state.
“There are a lot of projects for people to take advantage of — such schemes from the government of India which give subsidies, schemes for food processing, bamboo mission, the North East Industrial Development Scheme, BPO schemes,” he added.