Shillong, April 16: Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (MIDC) has decided to cancel land acquisition at Umisang-Mawkdoh in Ri Bhoi district.
The decision is due to opposition to the initiative from many quarters.
In a statement, the MIDC said that the intent behind identifying land in the Umsiang–Mawkdoh area was based solely on its strategic suitability and feasibility for establishing an industrial estate.
The location, adjacent 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—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 local communities and contribute to the state’s economic growth through enhanced industrial activity and revenue generation, the statement said.
The corporation had floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) on March 7, 2025 and the notice was advertised in leading English and Khasi dailies. Following this, six interested sellers participated in the process.
However, the corporation has since received multiple RTI queries from various organizations.
“Some of these communications have made false and misleading claim that the land acquisition process had already been completed, which is categorically untrue. Reports have also circulated that the corporation had already spent Rs100 crore on the acquisition process, which is factually incorrect. The actual approved budget for this initiative is less than 5% of the amount being falsely reported,” according to the statement.
The MIDC has received several letters from different groups opposing the establishment of an industrial estate.
“Therefore, the corporation feels that it is in the best interest to cancel this land acquisition if it cannot use the area as an industrial estate.”
The MIDC said it remains deeply committed to a balanced and sustainable development of Meghalaya.
“While this particular initiative will no longer proceed, the corporation will continue to explore other opportunities and initiatives that align with the state’s long-term industrial and economic goals,” it said.
