GUWAHATI: Amid reactions against Assam Cabinet’s approval of an ordinance permitting micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to set up plants in agriculture lands by only submitting a self declaration, the state government on Thursday sought to justify the move, saying that eco-sensitive zones would be protected and hazardous units barred from operations.
Assam industries and commerce minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, in his defence, said “the MSME ordinance approved by Assam Cabinet is only for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, not for large industries. This will largely help local entrepreneurs.”
“This ordinance will not be applicable for hazardous industries and no industries will be allowed in eco-sensitive zones,” Patowary informed through Twitter on Thursday.
The tweet generated mixed views on social media with some expressing concern about the environment as MSMEs only needed self certification to operate, some seeking development while putting all facts in public domain while others questioned the conversion of agriculture land when industrial land was available.
The state Cabinet had on Monday approved the MSME Ordinance, which it claimed was is in sync with “Atma Nirbhar Assam”, and put an end to the process of taking multiple permissions for setting up MSMEs in the state for the next three years.
The move sparked reactions from Opposition Congress and the influential All Assam Students Union, alleging that the ordinance would go against the interests of farmers and land rights of indigenous groups.
Anti-influx forum, Prabajan Virodhi Manch, also questioned the MSME ordinance, saying that it would sound the death knell for not only agriculturalists but as many as 115 small indigenous ethnic communities of Assam.
