Meghalaya has to catch up in terms of industrialisation:Lanong

Shillong, Feb 28 (PTI) Barring Assam and Tripura, North Eastern states has to catch up with the rest of the country in terms of industrialisation, Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister B M Lanong said. "We are yet to see the real light of the day in respect to industrialization because we are mere recipients," Lanong said. "Barring Assam and Tripura, industrialization is a far cry as we are dependent on supplies from outside. We need to catch up with the rest of the country," he said. Lanong who is also incharge of Mining and Geology department was inaugurating a workshop on mentoring and monitoring of projects under export development today here. The minister stressed on the need to focus on developing small scale and cottage industries in the NE and said respective state governments to facilitate growth. He said, "I do not favour big industries in a small states like Meghalaya. We do not want pollution and we do not want our green to vanish." According to Vinod K Kaul, Deputy General Manager, Agriculture and Processed Food Export Development Agency, (APEDA) New Delhi, this region has a vast potential because of its abundant natural resources. "The region fares better in horticulture because of natural factor and being organic, and there is not much chemical, therefore we have to tap this potential which needs to be developed," he said.