NEIIPP issue
SHILLONG: A day after the Central Government suspended registration of all new schemes under the ambitious North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP), 2007, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Thursday said that the North-East states will jointly take up the matter with the Central Government.
While refusing to speak further on the issue, Sangma said that he was already in touch with the other chief ministers of the Northeastern states.
The move of the Union Government has been opposed by several quarters including Meghalaya MPs and Assam government.
Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday came down heavily on the Centre for suspending NEIIPP, slashing development funds and stopping ration to tea workers.
“Suspending NEIIPP, slashing development funds, stopping ration to tea workers, how is the Centre going to achieve Sabka Saath Sabka Vikash?,” Gogoi tweeted.
Opposing the Centre’s decision both the Lok Sabha members from Meghalaya -Purno A Sangma and Vincent Pala — have sought an appointment with the Prime Minister to discuss the matter.
It may be mentioned that an order in this regard was issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry to the state governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
Some of the key features of the NEIIPP 2007 were 100 per cent income tax exemption and a complete waiver of excise duty on finished products made in North East, besides making available interest subsidy at the rate of 3 per cent on working capital loan. (With inputs from PTI)
