Editor,
Apropos of your front page news item “Saubhagya probe: Thy name is subterfuge” (ST Sep 1, 2021), as a reader of your newspaper for decades now, I congratulate you for your lonely and persistent expose on the various wrongdoings in our state. Frankly, I expected to see a lot of public reaction to the manipulation and graft in the implementation of the centrally sponsored scheme of Saubhagya which is the Prime Minister’s flagship project to provide power supply to every household in the country. The project which should have cost Rs 300 crore but turned out to be a Rs 500 crore scheme, should have evoked strong public outrage. That after so many days no one in authority has refuted the serious allegations of contractor-minister nexus in subverting the system to drain out Rs 200 crore of tax payers’ money, is astounding. Your report reveals how the price of a bag of cement was pegged at Rs 857—more than double the prevailing market price. Your report further exposes that all other components and equipment required for the scheme were also over-priced. What can be a clearer evidence of a plot to circumvent the system than this! The plot becomes thicker now that your report suggests that the contractor is busy manipulating the “findings” of the investigation. This is an unbelievable attempt to cover it up.
The Public Notice published by Member Secretary of “Independent Enquiry Committee” (ST Sept 7) makes our worst fears come true. Firstly, the Public Notice makes it abundantly clear that the investigation is restricted to three broad heads: 1. Procurement 2. AT & C Losses and 3. Human Resource Management. Tell me where does Saubhagya scam figure in this probe? Yes, there is a mention of “Central Government sponsored scheme”. On a careful reading it will be evident that it clearly restricts the scope of investigation to “procurement” and the process of tendering etc. Do all these cover the Saubhagya scheme? To a lay person like me, it doesn’t appear to be so since the Saubhagya scheme is essentially a turn-key project. The term turn-key provides the escape route. For, there is no direct procurement by the authorities whose actions are being investigated.
Under the contractual agreement under a turn-key project the firm engaged has to cover A to Z in completing the scheme. It is the firm’s sole responsibility to procure equipment, engage labourers and hand it over in serviceable condition. Strictly speaking, there was no process of procurement by MeCEL or any of it’s subsidiaries involved in the Saubhagya scam. Therefore, your report of “subterfuge” is spot on.
In fine, I feel a little dismayed by the lack of public response to what I feel is one of the biggest scams of the state! What is happening to our politicians? The Opposition seems to be too preoccupied with destabilising the government of the day and has no time for paying attention to such frauds being committed on our people. And what about the regional parties who are with the ruling coalition? They are so comfortable in their current political arrangement of you-scratch-my-back and I-will-scratch-yours! They are all sham protectors of the state. We the people of the state are unfortunate to be at the mercy of such a self-centred and shameless lot!
Yours etc.,
Pynshngain Jyrwa,
Via email
A disclaimer
Editor,
I am shocked to read in the Letters to the Editor column of your esteemed daily The Shillong Times, dated September 7, 2021 a letter captioned, “Normalcy returns courtesy vaccination” written by someone named L.M.Shangpliang blaming the Christian community as a whole for not taking Corona vaccination and casting aspersion on the Christian faith itself as being the “agenda coming from the western shores”. The person may have the same name as L.M. Shangpliang but I don’t know who he/she is, as the full name has not been given. So, I want to make it clear that I have neither written the letter nor own any responsibility for the opinion expressed in that letter.
Yours etc.,
Lolita M. Shangpliang,
Via email
Needed a Farm Budget
Editor,
Apropos of the special article “Needed: A separate budget for the Farm Sector,” by K.N.Kumar (ST September 7, 2021), given the high rate of our population depending on Agriculture and Allied activities vis-à-vis the fragile food security where Meghalaya’ food grain production can meet only 30% of its requirement as mentioned by Mr Kumar is timely. I fully agree with Mr Kumar, presently the Chairman, Meghalaya Farmers (Empowerment) Commission, that there is a need for an exclusive Farm Budget when it does not entail any additional burden on the exchequer. Since the Rate of Return (ROI) on every rupee spent is highest on agricultural research when compared to education and roads, there is no reason why the Government of Meghalaya in 2022-23 should not present a Farm Budget as suggested by the writer. Such a budget should take care of all the requirements of Agriculture and Allied sectors in Meghalaya which contributes only Rs 6,419 crore to the State’s economy which accounts for only 20% of the State Domestic Product at current prices 2020-21. Meghalaya should emulate the Southern States of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and have in place a Farm Budget that will benefit our rural population.
Yours etc,
V.K.Lyngdoh,
Via email