Meghalaya CM opens largest bottling plant in NE

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma inaugurated the largest bottling plant in the North East at Mendipathar in North Garo Hills district on Wednesday.
The bottling plant by Varun Beverages Limited (PepsiCo) has been set up in a 37-acre area in the Mendipathar Industrial Area, with an investment of Rs 340 crore. “This project is a symbol of the economic growth that Meghalaya is on track to achieve,” the Chief Minister said.
He said the bottling plant will open up job opportunities and benefit the people of the region directly and indirectly. “Nobody would have ever imagined that the largest bottling plant would be right here in Mendipathar,” Sangma said.
Stating that a project of this scale in Garo Hills would raise the aspirations of the youth, the Chief Minister said, “The younger generation will see the opportunities that this plant will open up for them. We can anticipate that different avenues will come up in the region.” The Chief Minister mentioned that the Mendipathar industrial area was conceptualised in the 1990s, but for over 30 years, no investments were received.
“In the last 30 years, no unit came up. There was hope and expectation, which never got fulfilled,” he said, expressing the concern of his late father and former Lok Sabha Speaker, P.A. Sangma, who envisioned Mendipathar as a growth engine for Garo Hills.
“Today is a day of hope and fulfillment of that vision he (P.A. Sangma) had for Mendipathar and Meghalaya in general,” he added.
The Chief Minister acknowledged the contribution of the Nokma (village chief) and the people of Mendipathar for donating the land for setting up the industrial area 30 years ago.
The bottling plant will engage close to 500 staff members for production and distribution of different PepsiCo products, including fruit-based juices.
The Chief Minister said that the plant will open up ancillary opportunities and lead to a boom in economic activities.
Exhorting the people to take advantage of the economic activity, the Chief Minister said, “Our youth will get different opportunities.” He also announced that another plant would be set up in the Tikrikilla Bajengdoba area, with 90 per cent of the work already completed.