By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Revenue Minister Prof RC Laloo has defended allotment of land to private universities while denying the allegations of Social Organizations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) that this act will result in alienation of land.
SOMALA had recently opposed an August 24 Government notification which allowed allotment of land to universities to be set up in the State, by saying that this violates the very spirit of the Meghalaya Land Transfer Act. An earlier order issued on March 30 had put a ban on transfer of land to non-tribal entities.
Replying to a call attention motion tabled by Paul Lyngdoh, Prof Laloo said that the modified order of August 24 taking out the education sector from the purview of the order dated March 30 will be in the interest of the local people and the land use will be properly regulated.
“Further, complete prohibition as demanded by the organization may not be in line with the Constitutional provisions,” Prof Laloo remarked.
According to the Revenue Minister, the Education Department has recently enacted a law – The Meghalaya Private Universities (Regulation of Establishment and Maintenance of Standard) Act, 2012 where in a Section 3 (2) has been inserted to regulate the use of land provided to the private universities.
“The Act also stipulates that if a private university established by a State Act does not become functional within 2 years of establishment, any land allotted whether privately owned or on lease or otherwise, will revert back to the owners,” Prof Laloo said.
