EC to table resolution in winter session of council
SHILLONG, Dec 18: The KHADC Executive Committee (EC) will table an official resolution during the winter session of the council against the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Bill, 2024 which allows the Investment Meghalaya Authority (IMA) to buy land and lease the same to private investors.
Talking to The Shillong Times on Wednesday, KHADC CEM Pyniaid Sing Syiem said they would appeal to the state government not to dilute the existing land tenure or land holding system in the official resolution which he will introduce on the first day of the winter session on Thursday.
He said that the spirit of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act, 1971 and Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Regulation and Administration of Land) Act, 2021 should not be diluted at any cost.
Stating that there should not be any kind of land alienation, Syiem said that the government should not bypass the institutions of Dorbar Shnong, Hima and Raid.
“The consent of the district council on any land deal is necessary since they are the custodian of the land,” the KHADC CEM said.
Stating that although they are satisfied with the clarification given by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on the IMA, he said it will only be fitting for the council to officially take up the matter with the government on the various concerns which they have on the matter.
“We want to place on record to the government that there should not be any attempt to bypass the various traditional institutions which will create a wrong precedence,” the KHADC CEM said.
The chief minister on Tuesday clarified that the state government enacted the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion & Facilitation (MSIPF), Act, 2024 to enhance business ecosystem and foster economic growth and employment opportunities through the establishment of Invest Meghalaya Agency (IMA).
Addressing a gathering during the launch of a research programme of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), he said the IMA will replace the single window agency which was dealt by the Industries Department.
He said although the Industries Department is the nodal agency, yet the process is a bit tedious as the investors will also need to work with the departments concerned, whether it is power, agriculture or tourism, to move through the single window clearance.
“Hence, we realised the need to put things together. We decided to bring all the departments together under a committee, headed by the Chief Minister, which we call the IMA,” Sangma said.