By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Despite protest from the coalition UDP, the Government on Tuesday defended its executive order (EO) allowing transfer of the land to the private universities in the State.
The executive order passed on August 24 relaxed the earlier order of the Government issued in March last year in respect of transfer of land to non-tribal entities as per the Meghalaya Land Transfer (Regulation) Act, 1971.
The order of March last year had prohibited transfer of land to non-tribal entities.
The UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh recently said the coalition partner was not taken into confidence while the Government took the decision to relax the earlier order aimed at facilitating private universities to purchase land in Meghalaya.
Reacting to this, Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma said the August 24 executive order was not the offshoot of any Cabinet decision.
“The Government has passed certain bills on private universities in the Assembly and the passing of bills indicate that the land allotment to these universities is necessary to set up centers of education,” Dr Sangma said.
He, however, added that if the land was not utilized for the educational purpose within a stipulated period of time, it would be reverted to the owner.
Moreover, as per the executive order, the land can be transferred subject to the condition that the size of the land sought to be transferred commensurate with the actual requirement of educational institutions or universities.
According to the Chief Minister, Meghalaya needs establishment of several universities in the context of recent developments related to the alleged harassment to the Northeast students in parts of the country.
The students can depend on the universities being set up in State and this can prevent their exodus to states outside Meghalaya, Dr Sangma said.