Shillong, Dec 31: Government spokesperson and cabinet minister Paul Lyngdoh has strongly backed the Meghalaya Economics and Investment Promotion Policy (MEIPP) that proposes to create “land banks” for private investment, but said the government is open to improving it further.
“If there is need to fine tune (the policy), I feel that can always be done…the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement,” Lyngdoh quipped while challenging those criticising the policy to come out with a better policy for investment.
“If you say no (to the government’s policy) so what is the alternative? Come forward and show us your draft. If it is much better than our policy, we may go with it,” Lyngdoh told reporters on Monday.
He also assured that the government is open to consultation with the stakeholders in this regard.
Opposition parties have criticised the government’s decision to amend the Meghalaya State Investment Promotion Facilitation Act, which seeks to allow the Investment Meghalaya Agency (IMA) to buy land and provide the same to investors.
Stating that MEIPP is a policy, which has been approved and passed by the state assembly, he said, “So the creation of these land banks for the purpose of developmental activities is an offshoot of the policy.”
On the apprehension about MEIPP leading to alienation of tribal land, Lyngdoh said, “The concept here is that the government is the owner of the land and the same is leased to corporate entities.”
He also urged indigenous entrepreneurs to come forward to take the opportunity for investment by leasing land under MEIPP.
“Why not we get 500-1000 tribal entrepreneurs from Meghalaya to form their own companies and lease land as per the government policy?” he said.
Ruling out land alienation, he said, “Tourism department projects such as Polo Orchid and Jivas in Sohra are leased to private entrepreneurs but ownership stays with the government.”
