Land, local flavor in new industrial policy

SHILLONG, DEC 15: The state cabinet on Saturday approved the new Meghalaya Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy 2012 that seeks to ensure the land made available to industries are used to their optimum and the land ownership remains with the state government. The policy will be notified soon.

“We have carefully structured the new policy in a manner that land for industries will not involve outright transfer (of ownership)… All land made available in the state for industry will be done on the basis of lease,”  chief minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the cabinet meeting. The new policy replaces the 1997 police which, the chief minister said, had failed to address this issue.

“If the land allotted for industries is not made use of for the purpose, it will be reverted to the government. The land provided will be commensurate to the actual need of the industries, and not more than what they require,” said Sangma. This, he said, was necessary as in the past some industries have acquired land much more than their requirement.

The new policy also seeks to promote indigenous entrepreneurs to set up small and micro industries, especially along the border with Bangladesh which the government categorized as “difficult areas”. “We have structured 100 per cent financial assistance for project preparations for such small and micro enterprises. This is intended to encourage our people to prepare pre-feasibility studies and DPRs (detailed project reports),” said the chef minister.

By encouraging small and micro industries in the border areas which has good potentials, the government also wants entrepreneurs to look beyond Byrnihat. A special incentive will also be provided to local entrepreneurs willing to set up industries in the border areas.

The policy also envisages setiing up of “economic industrial zones” in every districts and “special economic zones in different areas. “We are now in a position to ensure uniform investment across the state and check haphazard growth of industries… Special programmes will be in place for small and micro entrepreneurs dealing in local items,” he said. –By Our Reporter