Shillong, May 6: The Government of Meghalaya has approved a proposal to directly purchase land in the Garo Hills region, marking a strategic shift aimed at expediting infrastructure development and addressing long-standing land acquisition challenges.
The decision, cleared by the state cabinet, focuses on building a dedicated “land bank” in East Garo Hills and North Garo Hills to support future public projects. Officials said the move is intended to prevent delays in the implementation of key facilities such as mini secretariats, hospitals, universities, and other essential infrastructure, particularly in underserved areas.
Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Paul Lyngdoh noted that land availability has increasingly become a major constraint for large-scale projects. He stated that advance purchase of land would allow the government to roll out development initiatives more efficiently and without procedural hurdles.
Under the plan, approximately 93.5 acres of land will be acquired in the Rongjeng area of East Garo Hills at an estimated cost of ₹7 crore. In North Garo Hills, around 26 acres in the Mendipathar region will be purchased for about ₹3.9 crore. The government maintains that direct purchase has helped both accelerate the process and reduce overall expenditure.
Officials emphasised that the acquired land will be reserved exclusively for future development, enabling more structured planning and timely execution of infrastructure projects across the state.
