Facing opposition, MIDC drops Ri-Bhoi industrial estate plan

SHILLONG, April 16: Following opposition, the Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (MIDC) has finally decided to cancel the proposed land acquisition in the Umsiang-Mawkdoh area for an industrial estate.
The MIDC stated that the decision was made due to recent developments and the unwarranted narrative surrounding the proposed land acquisition in the Ri-Bhoi district.
The corporation clarified that land in the Umsiang-Mawkdoh area was identified solely because of its strategic location and feasibility in establishing an industrial estate.
The plot’s proximity to Assam’s upcoming Electronic City was seen as an opportunity to create a modern industrial hub focused exclusively on green and white category industries that are environmentally sustainable and non-polluting, in line with Meghalaya’s ecological sensitivities.
“The vision was to leverage this strategic positioning to generate substantial employment opportunities for the local communities and contribute to the state’s economic growth through enhanced industrial activity and revenue generation,” the corporation said. The corporation floated an Expression of Interest on March 7 for this purpose, and the notice was advertised in leading English and Khasi dailies. Six interested sellers participated in the process.
However, the corporation received multiple RTI queries from various organisations.
The MIDC claimed that some organisations made the false and misleading claim that the land acquisition process had already been completed, which was categorically untrue.
“Reports have also circulated that the corporation spent ₹100 crore on the acquisition process, which is factually incorrect. The approved budget for this initiative is less than 5% of the amount being falsely reported,” the MIDC said.
The MIDC received several letters from different groups explicitly opposing the establishment of an industrial estate in the area, with strong objections to any such development. Hence, the corporation felt it would be better to cancel the land acquisition if it could not use the area as an industrial estate.