Meghalaya borrowed $79.05 million dollar for implementing Ecotourism project

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMarch 6, 2022

Apparently it appeared that the only definition of development for the Meghalaya Govt is the construction of road as the Govt borrowed money for implementation of  the Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project or MITP for construction of road and now the Govt borrowed money again for implementation of the Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development Project for construction of road again.

This was evident from the tender floated by the Meghalaya PWD for construction of a road from Kudengrim to Kudengthymmai Length 5.14 Km under Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development funded by New Development Bank. Meghalaya borrowed $79.05 million dollar for implementing Ecotourism project.

The Meghalaya Govt borrowed an amount of 79.05 million dollars from the New Development Bank for implementing the Meghalaya Ecotourism Infrastructure Development Project.

The Project will be implemented by the Meghalayan Age Limited and the concept Approval Date was on 18 September 2021.

Meghalaya is a hilly state endowed with significant ecotourism potential, including virgin forests, ample riverine systems, scenic topography, and many natural hotspots: root bridges, underground tunnels, waterfalls, biodiversity, and others. It is also known for the distinct social and cultural heritage of the tribal people and their traditional governance systems.

Meghalaya has one of the lowest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita amongst India states. To sustain the economic growth, Meghalaya state government is planning to focus on promoting the tourism sector.

The Project will support infrastructure development in the tourism sector. Tourism sector is a multi-sectoral activity and has the potential to stimulate different sectors of the economy, unlocking opportunities for economic development, poverty alleviation, and income generation. The sector is also labor intensive, thereby presenting a wide spectrum of job opportunities for the skilled/unskilled workforce and benefiting micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Project will cover urban, semi-urban and rural areas of Meghalaya. The major components of the Project will be to i) develop key tourist attraction points (ecotourism hubs), (ii) ensure their accessibility and connectivity by construction/upgrade of roads, bridges, ropeways, etc, and iii) create basic tourist accommodation.