SHILLONG: The state government on Friday rejected the proposed amendments to the Meghalaya Private Universities (Regulation of Establishment and Maintenance of Standard) Bill, 2019 moved by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh during the Autumn Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Moving the amendments earlier, Lyngdoh proposed that in Clause (3) of Section 6 of the Bill, the words — “the sponsor shall procure land in consistent with the provisions of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971”, may be inserted after the words “the sponsor shall procedure land”.
Further, in the same clause, she suggested the omission of the words, “Except with the specific permission given by the State Government”, and a full-stop (.) may be inserted after the word “University”.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, however, said the amendments proposed by the Congress MLA cannot be accepted as the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971, vide Section 4 (f) has included education institutions, where previous sanction of the state government would be required to be obtained under the Act for procuring land. Hence, including the same in the Bill does not arise.
He further said that the Revenue Department through an order dated March 30, 2011 had directed complete ban for transfer of land under section 4(e) and (f) of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation), Act, 1971.
However, he pointed out that through an order dated August 24, 2012, the Revenue Department had modified the order of March 30, 2011 to the extent that, land could be transferred to private universities regulated under the Meghalaya Private Universities (Regulation of Establishment and Maintenance of Standards), Act, 2012 with previous approval of the government. The modification was applicable to all the districts except Ri-Bhoi where the ban on transfer of land still continues.
With regard to the proposed deletion of the words “except with specific permission given by the State Government”, Rymbui said the same may not be accepted, as this relates to the starting of the
university under state Act. The private university, under the state Act, cannot start with the offering of the courses, until they fulfill all the criteria laid down by the UGC, NCTE, BCI, AICTE, Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation), Act, 1971 etc.
He added that after the universities have adhered to all the norms laid down, then they have to seek the approval of the government to start offering all the courses and the state government after verifying all the aspects shall grant specific permission to start the course by the university.
However, Lyngdoh chose to not withdraw the amendment.
