Aiming to give a massive boost to the IT sector in the state capital and wider Meghalaya, the Shillong Technology Park was inaugurated today by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
The government hopes that the facility will help create 1,500 jobs directly and many more indirectly. This is one of the Meghalaya government’s 300 planned projects to be launched as part of the state’s golden jubilee celebrations.
Information Technology and Communication Minister Hamletson Dohling and PHE Minister Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar were also present at the launch.
“I am sure many youngsters working outside Meghalaya would like to return back and work near their homes. I have already announced a vision that in the next 10 years, Meghalaya should be among the top 10 states of India. The success of this Tech Park will propel the realization of this vision,” Sangma said.
With 70 per cent of its growing population under the age of 35, Meghalaya has great potential in the IT sphere and should leverage its demographic dividend, he added.
What was launched today was the first phase of the IT park, with it to be expanded in future. As of now the government expects 1,500 people to be employed directly but “it is estimated that it will generate three times as many jobs indirectly.”
Today also saw the CM inaugurate the office of TechDigital, a BPO that will accommodate 300 local employees. TechDigital is a service provider with offices in the USA, Canada and India.
The plan is for the facility to bring together “different arrays” of technology to a single space and support incubation centres in collaboration with industry, academia and government stakeholders.
The Tech Park has been designed based on a ‘plug-and-play’ model whereby the government has set up infrastructure in multiple sectors which will hopefully attract businesses and other organisations. Its construction began in 2019 and was completed in 25 months. Several companies, according to the government, have already indicated their commitment to set up their facilities here.
For subsequent phases, the government will encourage the Shillong Technology Park to operate on a public private partnership (PPP) model to expand.
“We will set up a single-window mechanism with minimum entry-barriers to on-board companies to operate from the Tech Park. The youths of Meghalaya need not think in terms of either-or, i.e. continuing in Meghalaya or moving to some other city, but should think in terms of [multiple choices]. Presently multiple options and choices are available to the youth to realize their potential in Meghalaya. This Shillong Tech Park is going to further increase the options for our youth in multiple ways,” Sangma added.
Other infrastructure to make the vision work, he said, includes better air connectivity through Umroi Airport and the creation of five-star hotels in the city. The state government is also engaging with the Centre and Bangladesh government to ensure that a submarine internet cable is made available to the park through Chittagong in the neighbouring country to boost connectivity.
