Shillong, Dec 16: The HYC on Monday called upon the Meghalaya government to come clear on the recent amendment made to the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion Facilitation Act, 2024 whereby the Investment Meghalaya Agency (IMA) has been authorized to buy and allot land to investors.
“We demand that the proposed Amendment be put in public domain for soliciting views, opinions and suggestions from the general public of the State and other stakeholders before such an Amendment is passed and made into a Llw by the State Assembly,” HYC president, Roy Kupar Synrem said.
He said that they were also of the opinion that the proposed Amendment would create a situation where the IMA, through the land mafias in the State will gain control and monopolised the land sale in the State of Meghalaya.
According to him, in the name of IMA and development, a huge plot of lands will be acquired by these land mafias from the owners and then sell them at exorbitant prices to the Government.
Synrem further stated that the proposed Amendment also runs the risks of alienation of tribal lands in the state to non-tribals or corporate houses and this will surely undermine the tribal identity and autonomy, which we enjoy at present due to various laws and legislations in force in the State.
“Therefore, we urged upon the state government to keep on hold any decision to insert the above proposed Amendment into the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion Facilitation Act, 2024 without following due process of soliciting views, opinions and suggestions from the general public of the State,” HYC president stated.
Stating that land is a scarce commodity in our State and as per reports about 70% of the populations of the State are landless, he said that perhaps the Government should create land banks for these landless people also and not be hyperactive on creating land banks only for corporates or private investors.