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Economy
and Infrastructure
Meghalaya
has abundant but untapped natural resources, including coal,
limestone, kaolin, feldspar, quartz, mica, gypsum, bauxite,
and other minerals. Its sillimanite deposits (a source of
high-grade ceramic clay) are reputedly the best in the world
and account for almost all of India's sillimanite output.
Meghalaya has no heavy industries; small-scale industries
include cement, plywood, and beverage factories, in addition
to a newly established electronics plant
Important
fruits grown here are orange, pineapple, lemon, guava, jackfruit
and bananas, while potato, jute, mesta, cotton, arecanut,
ginger, turmeric, betel leaf and black pepper are the chief
commercial crops. 'Jhum' or the shifting system of cultivation
is being replaced with scientific methods, bringing land under
permanent cultivation. Forest resources from pine and other
timber products bring in the major chunk of state revenue
Internal
communications are poor, and many areas remain isolated. There
are no railways in Meghalaya. A national highway runs through
the state from Guwahati (Assam) in the north to Karimganj
(Assam) in the south. The only airport in the state is located
at Umroi, 31 km from Shillong
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