Shillong, Dec 20: The state government has approved an amendment to Rule 374, drastically lowering the export fee on Extra‑Neutral Alcohol (ENA) produced in Meghalaya.
The reduction is intended to make locally manufactured ENA competitive across the Northeastern market, where it currently faces a price disadvantage of five to six times compared with neighbouring Assam.
“We are basically reducing the export fees of the ENA which is going to be exported from the state,” Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters after chairing a cabinet meeting on Friday.
“This is being done primarily to make sure that the production of the ENA that is done in our state is also competitive in the North‑Eastern market. Today our sales outside of Meghalaya are almost nil because our rate is almost five times, six times higher than our neighbouring state of Assam. By cutting the rates we become competitive – a bit below the Assam rate – so we can sell our products outside in the North‑East, and this will also ensure that the revenue of the excise department goes up,” he added.
