SHILLONG, Sep 13: The first ropeway project in Meghalaya worth Rs 140 crore has been sanctioned and the tender will soon be floated, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told the Assembly during the third day of the autumn session here on Tuesday.
The CM said this after the Meghalaya Ropeway Bill 2022, which was recently cleared by the Cabinet, was introduced in the House by the state government.
According to him, the first ropeway project will be constructed from Shillong Peak to Lawsohtun.
He informed the House that the Bill will give a proper structure on how applications are to be filed and the guidelines to be followed to set up ropeways, modalities for licences and safety measures, Sangma had said after the Cabinet meeting.
As per the Bill tabled in the House, the state will constitute a body called ‘Meghalaya Ropeway Development Authority’ under the Department of Tourism.
It is stated that the authority will act as a state nodal agency for development of ropeways with jurisdiction over Ropeway Development Area, either on its own or under public-private partnership (PPP) or through any promoter.
“With a view to ensure the success of the ropeway developmental process, the Authority, in discussion with the stakeholders at the developmental planning stage, would facilitate the formulation of a ‘Vision Paper’ in consultation with the Local Authority. The local authority meaning traditional tribal bodies,” the bill stated.
The body will consist of a chairperson, not below the rank of Secretary, and other members as the state government may determine and notify.
Other bills
Meanwhile, Minister in-charge Taxation James Sangma introduced the Meghalaya Professions Trades Callings and Employments Taxation (Amendment) Bill 2022, which aims to further amend the Meghalaya Professions Trades Callings and Employments Taxation Act (Assam Act VI of 1947 as adapted by Meghalaya).
According to a Statement of Objects and Reasons, the Meghalaya Professions etc Taxation (Assam Act, VI of 1947 as adapted and amended by Meghalaya), Act, 2022, requires to be amended in order to keep pace with the changing requirements of the times.
“Such as the need to make it more efficient and to widen the tax net by introducing a provision for registration of persons, self employed or employers outside the Government sector, to replace certain obsolete provisions like imprisonment term with more tax payer and revenue friendly measures like provision for levy of interest on delayed payment, provision for compounding the offences, inclusion of Taxing authorities to reflect the current organizational structure and also to empower the State Government to prescribe new rates of tax under the Act by way of notification,” it added.
The minister also introduced the Meghalaya Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill 2022.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons states that the “Meghalaya Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (Act No.10 of 2017) requires to be amended based on the recommendations of the GST Council to make it more effective in preventing fraudulent claim of input tax credit, improve of doing business by tax payers amongst other things”.
