Reports have also circulated that the Corporation had already spent ₹100 crore on the acquisition process, which is factually incorrect, says an official statement
Shillong, April 17: The Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation Ltd (MIDC) on Wednesday announced its decision to withdraw and scrap the proposed land acquisition at Umisang-Mawkdoh in Ri Bhoi district due to recent developments and unwarranted narrative surrounding the proposal.
A statement issued by the MIDC also clarified 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, it added.
The Corporation had floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) on March 7, 2025, for this purpose, 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 the 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 ₹100 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,” the statement said.
Furthermore, MIDC has received several letters from different groups explicitly opposing the establishment of an industrial estate in the area, with strong objections to any such development, it said adding “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.”
Further, MIDC said that 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 added.
