By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 2: Rajya Sabha member WR Kharlukhi has strongly advocated greater private sector participation in Meghalaya’s development, including in the power sector, arguing that privatisation is “the need of the hour” and essential for improving efficiency, infrastructure and service delivery.
Speaking on the issue, Kharlukhi said Meghalaya had already witnessed the benefits of such an approach with the revival of the Meghalaya Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) in 2002 through private sector involvement.
Pointing to the success of tourism initiatives in villages adopted under his model village programme, he said communities were increasingly demonstrating the economic potential of locally driven development.
The MP reserved some of his strongest remarks for the power sector, stating that if it were up to him, even electricity distribution would be privatised.
According to him, the monopoly enjoyed by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) has constrained opportunities for faster infrastructure development.
He argued that private companies are often able to mobilise resources more efficiently, including through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, to extend power infrastructure such as transmission lines and transformers.
Citing an example from the industrial sector, Kharlukhi referred to Topcem’s power arrangements and said the company had ensured uninterrupted electricity supply through its own infrastructure.
He claimed that when he explored the possibility of extending similar benefits to nearby villages, the proposal did not receive approval from MeECL.
Responding to concerns that privatisation could lead to job losses or increased outsider influence, Kharlukhi rejected such fears and called for a change in mindset.
He pointed to institutions such as North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), where local people are increasingly occupying key positions and professional roles.
Stating that Meghalaya must embrace competition and opportunity, Kharlukhi said it was “high time” society moved beyond what he described as a “caveman mentality” of constantly fearing outsiders.
He argued that development should be guided by confidence in local capabilities rather than apprehension about external participation.
