
Shillong, Jan 26: Governor CH Vijayashankar has said creation of land banks will not dilute the provisions of land transfer act and district councils.
Addressing the gathering at the 76th Republic Day celebrations at Polo Ground here on Sunday, the governor said, “New Land banks are being created in full compliance with the provisions of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 and the laws and rules of the three Autonomous District Councils”.
According to the governor, the government is mobilizing private investments to promote growth and provide employment to our youth. “As per the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion & Facilitation Act 2024 and the State Industrial Policy, 90% of the non-managerial jobs generated in new industries are reserved for local people”, he said.
The state government is committed to promoting growth, without any compromise on the rights of our people. “It is possible to protect our culture, heritage, & traditions and generate opportunities for our youth”he added.
Housing
The governor said the government is committed to providing housing for all.
“Since the launch of PMAY(G), the state has constructed 1.18 lakh houses under the scheme, till date. Out of this figure of 1.18 lakh houses, 82,995 rural houses were constructed in the last two years alone. Under PMAY (U), 3097 of the 4554 sanctioned houses have been completed.
Water tap connections
The goal of the government is to supply tap water to all 6.5 lakh rural households in the State. In 2019, Meghalaya had fewer than 4,500 functional tap connections. “Today, clean drinking water under the Jal Jeevan Mission is provided to over 5.29 lakh households, achieving 81.4% coverage which is above the national average”, he added.
Between August 2019 and December 2024, about 270 tap connections were installed daily in the state. The government is committed to ensuring tapped water connection to the remaining households, he added.
Power supply
The government is striving to ensure reliable power supply in the State. In 2024, there has been no scheduled load shedding, due to various measures undertaken by MeECL to improve the power sector in the last five years. “We expect no load shedding in 2025 as well. The government has been able to reduce the Aggregated Technical and Commercial Losses from 32% to 16%. The government is also committed to increasing the generation capacity of the power sector that will promote economic development and growth”, he said.
Tourism
He said the tourism sector will be a key driver of economic growth and livelihood opportunities for the people of the state. Substantial investments in improving the tourism infrastructure are underway at key tourist locations. “The work on the Shillong Peak Ropeway Project has been initiated. Further, the government has taken up redevelopment of two iconic projects for MICE infrastructure at Mawkhanu and Umiam lake. The Meghalaya Tourism Homestay Scheme has emerged as a flagship success, transforming the state’s tourism landscape. With a 70% subsidy of up to Rs 7 lakh, the scheme has facilitated the creation of attractive homestays and fostered sustainable livelihoods for residents. Since its inception, around 600 homestays have come up in the state”, he said.