SHILLONG, MAY 5: The Meghalaya Cabinet has approved the direct purchase of land in East Garo Hills and North Garo Hills to create land banks for future infrastructure projects, including mini secretariats, hospitals, and universities.
“The state cabinet has approved the proposal for purchase of land at Rongalgre, East Garo Hills district and the proposal for purchase of land at North Garo Hills for creation of land bank,”, Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla said after the meeting on Tuesday.
He said the government is setting up mini secretariats in districts to “bring administration closer and in one place so that it will be easily accessible to the people.” However, land availability remains the key hurdle for new projects.
“We have realised that with other districts as well, every time we want to come up with any project, the main issue we are facing is the availability of land. As you know it is very difficult to get land free of cost,” Shylla said.
“That is why the government thought that it is important that we should have land in hand as maybe in the coming days we need to build a hospital, we need to build a school or university and other things. So that is why we have come up with these two proposals,” he added.
In Rongalgre, East Garo Hills, the government is acquiring 93.5 acres through direct purchase at a cost of Rs 7 crore. “If we go by the land acquisition of the revenue department, it should have cost us Rs 10.35 crore but by direct purchase, we are getting it at Rs 7.07 crore,” Shylla said.
In North Garo Hills, 26 acres of land is being purchased in the Mendipathar area, located 6.7 km from the Songsak-Mendi road. The direct purchase will cost Rs 3.9 crore. “If we go by land acquisition, it would have cost us Rs 5.7 crore,” he said.
“These two lands we have purchased, this is purely for the future infrastructure,” the Minister stated.
Asked about land banks in other districts, Shylla said different districts have their own land banks but the area is not sufficient. “As you know, North Garo Hills is a new district so they also need land,” he added.
By Our Reporter
