Meghalaya: NPP-led MDA trying to run government in "corporate style", alleges Congress
The opposition Congress on Monday accused the National People's Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) of attempting to run the state in a "corporate style" by "selling off existing public sector assets to private entities".
The opposition Congress on Monday accused the National People's Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) of attempting to run the state in a "corporate style" by "selling off existing public sector assets to private entities".
Briefing media persons in Shillong on Monday, spokesperson of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), Zenith Sangma said the engagement of M/S NITCON Limited, a technical consultancy organisation, as Project Management Unit (PMU) for monetisation of assets of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and its subsidiaries is a "reflection" of their attempt to run the government in a corporate style.
"The government is allegedly planning to lease out MeECL's assets, particularly the lands, in different locations of the state to private operators to develop malls and hotels on the pretext of enhancing the tourism industry at the cost of the interest of the people of the state," he said.
Asked if leasing out "unproductive" MeECL lands would prove beneficial to the state in terms of revenue generation, the Congress spokesperson said, "That was their (government) justification. But we all know what their intention is... to sell off public assets to private entities to benefit a few."
Sangma referred to the resignation of an independent director from the Board of Directors of the MeECL following the engagement of NITCON, stating that, "Nobody acknowledged her protest, which culminated in her resignation from the Board of Directors. What is going to happen? MeECL is subjected to taking loan after loan, pushing it into a debt trap".
Sangma further expressed doubts and dissatisfaction at the pace at which the independent inquiry committee, which is probing into the alleged scams in the power sector, is going.
"The government is not serious. It has been 70 days since the constitution of the independent inquiry committee, but, I doubt if the process has even started," he said.
An inquiry committee to probe the alleged scams in the power department was instituted on June 28, 2021, comprising of three members and headed by Justice (retd) Ifaqat Ali Khan of Allahabad High Court. The committee was expected to complete the probe within three months.
However, the government had to reconstitute it as Justice (retd) Khan opted out after meeting with an accident. Subsequently, Justice (retd) RN Mishra of the same court was appointed to head the probe.
"The process of instituting an inquiry was just an eye-wash to pacify the people who are protesting, including the regional political parties," he said.
Regarding the news of a possible minor shuffle in the Cabinet that will see the power portfolio taken away from James Sangma in favour of a tourism portfolio, the Rangsakona legislator said that "if true, [it] is nothing but a clever attempt to pacify the protesting lots and accomplish their mission."
He reiterated the Congress' demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the alleged power scam, adding that all these irregularities attract the provision of the Lokayukta. "And at an appropriate time, we will knock on the door of the judiciary at our level also," he added.
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