State of Meghalaya has tremendous investment opportunities
which lay in its resource endowments. The State Government, in order to
attract investor, provides several incentives in the form of subsidies
on cost of infrastructure, transportation, training, power, etc. A number
of sectors have been identified as having potential investment opportunities.
Mineral based industry
Meghalaya with its wealth of mineral deposits in the
form of coal, limestone, kaolin and small quantities of sillimite, bauxite,
basemetals and apetite, is a storehouse of industrial potential. Coal
deposits can be found in the districts of Garo Hills, West Khasi Hills
and Jaintia Hills. This coal bears a low ash content and its calorific
value ranges from 6500 to 7500 kcal/kg. The coal is mainly of sub-bituminous
type and can be utilized in varied industries ranging from power, fertilizer,
cement and textile to paper, rubber, brick burning and pottery based industries.
The coal that is found in the state can also be converted into coke and
recover value added chemicals like light, medium and heavy oil, phenol,
xynelol and producer gas. Limestone is another mineral that occurs in
an extensive belt along the southern border of Meghalaya. The quality
of limestone in the state has CaO content of 53% and can be of great use
to the steel, fertilizer and chemical industries.
Horticulture and Agro based industry
The potential for agro-based industries in the state of
Meghalaya is phenomenal. The state produces substantial quantities of
oranges, peaches, pineapples, pears, guavas, plums and bananas of superb
table variety. It also grows plenty of potatoes, tapoica, bay leaves,
ginger, maize and jackfruit. It grows plenty of potatoes and produces
little over 1.19 lakh metric tons of potatoes. Turmeric, particularly
the Shangpung variety is grown. Meghalaya climate is congenial for animal
husbandry like rearing of cattle, pigs, goats and poultry. Plantation
crops like coffee, rubber, black-pepper and arecanut are also becoming
important products. But a major breakthrough has been made in tea cultivation.
As the tea is grown in relatively high altitudes, its quality is similar
to the Darjeeling tea.
Tourism
Meghalaya with its hilly terrain and cool climate, demonstrates
good potential for development of tourism. This hilly state has been called
‘a patch of beauty and grace’ and is famed as 'the Scotland
of the East'. It is linked to the Borail Range, an offshoot of the Himalayan
Mountains. Meghalaya has an edge over other tourist centres in the Northeast
as it has unique blend of different cultures, congenial climatic conditions
and better infrastructures for setting up of tourism related activities.
The capital of Meghalaya, Shillong is one of the most popular
tourist destinations. Situated at an altitude of 1,496 meters above sea
level, Shillong is perhaps the only hill station with motorable roads
leading to every corner. The tourists spots in Shillong include, Ward's
lake, Lady hydari park, Polo ground, Mini zoo, Elephant falls, etc. Cherrapunjee,
locally and officially known as Sohra, is 56 kms from Shillong, and a
'must see' destination for all tourists.
Tourism has been considered to be the gateway to economic
development of the State. Meghalaya offers enormous potential for employment
and economic growth by utilizing the natural attractions like landscapes,
mountains and peaks, beaches, rivers, waterfalls, flora and fauna. It
also applies to a multitude of man-made attractions like monuments, places
and unique rural and city environment. Tourism development has been recognised
as a thrust area by the Government of Meghalaya. Hence, the State Government
has has announced a tourism
policy which aims at projecting a friendly tourist image of the state
to the world at large and make the State one of the best tourist destinations
of the country by capitalising on the State's natural assets; managing
them properly and creating a consistent competitive advantage .
Power generation
Meghalaya is one of the few states in the country with
surplus power generation. Industrial unit in Meghalaya has the unique
privilege of uninterrupted power supply. The state possesses a hydro-electricity
potential of nearly 1,200 MW. The river basin of Meghalaya has a potential
feature of about 27000 Megawatt of hydropower. The state of Meghalaya
is influenced by the South West Monso on. All the rivers
of Meghalaya are monsoon fed. The State Government is identifying agencies
who can invest in the development of Meghalaya's considerable hydro power
potential.
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