By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Assembly witnessed yet another acrimonious scene on Friday when Opposition NCP locked horn with Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma over release of industrial subsidy to eight units which violated the stipulated condition of providing employment to local tribals.
The heated arguments between the Sangmas, which have become a regular feature of the Assembly, erupted during the question hour.
Leader of the Opposition Conrad Sangma and his sibling James Sangma tried to needle the Chief Minister over the issue of setting up of a House Committee to probe against those industrial units which have received subsidies without fulfilling conditions laid down in the Industrial Policy in respect in respect of recruiting 60 per cent of the employees from local tribes.
While replying a question, the Chief Minister informed that as per the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) report eight industrial units who have not adhered to all the terms and conditions of the State Industrial Policy have availed subsidies amounting to Rs 85.28 crore.
To this Conrad Sangma harped on constituting a House Committee to probe into the matter since the Chief Minister himself admitted that eight firms had violated the pre-conditions.
Disagreeing with this demand of the Opposition, the Chief Minister said that there is no point of constituting of the House Committee since the Government has already appointed an inquiry committee headed by Commerce and Industries Commissioner and Secretary.
“We have given two months’ time to this inquiry committee to submit its report. I assure this House that the Government would take stringent action as per the recommendations of the inquiry committee,” he said.
Expressing their dissatisfaction to the reply of the Chief Minister, Conrad insisted that the Government should immediately take action against the concerned industrial units to recover the whole amount disbursed to them. He said that this decision to constitute a committee is only a dilatory tactic on the part of the Government. To buttress his argument, Conrad drew a parallel with cement companies. He said that even though the High Level Committee (HLC) in its report clearly mentioned that the cement plants in Jaintia Hills are operating inside the forest areas, the Government had shied away from taking action against them.
Ronchugiri legislator James K Sangma (NCP) joined the debate to accuse the Chief Minister of trying to contradict himself since on one hand he admitted there are industrial units who are misusing the Government and the same time he is shying away from taking action against firms who are involve in misusing of the Government subsidies.
“I demand that there is should be a House Committee to probe into this racket,” James thundered.
At this point, former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma rose on his feet to ask the Chief Minister about those firms which had decided to shut down on their own after availing the Government subsidies. The Government should also take necessary action against these kinds of firms, he said.
The senior Sangma said that the closing down of such units have rendered most of the indigenous youths jobless.
Nongkrem legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit (UDP) said that most of the industries set up in the State are only to avail incentives/subsidies and exploiting the indigenous population of the State.
In reply, the Chief Minister informed that based on the CAG report eight industrial units who have not adhered to all the terms and conditions of the State Industrial Policy have availed subsidies amounting to Rs 85.28 crore.
“We are yet to have the names of the firms involved,” Dr Mukul said.
While the Government is waiting for the names of these eight firms from the CAG, he said that they have constituted this inquiry committee with the motive of getting into the bottom of it.
“There must be other firms who have also misused the subsidies,” the Chief Minister said.
On the points raised by the former Lok Sabha Speaker, he admitted that there are many firms which have closed down on their own after availing the subsidies.
“I assure the House that the Industrial Policy will not be allowed to be exploited by greedy investors,” the Chief Minister said.