Economy / Meghalaya

SHILLONG, June 22– Meghalaya Government on Wednesday decided to implement a ‘golden handshake’ scheme for the employees of loss-making Meghalaya Transport Corporation at a cost of Rs. 13.52 crore. After a Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister DD Lapang, told reporters that altogether 216 out of over 600 employees of the MTC have ‘accpeted’ the offer of golden handshake given to them by the government earlier.

The scheme would be implemented immediately, he said. Lapang said another 150 employees of the MTC were reportedly willing to come forward to accept the scheme. The Chief Minister said the...

SHILLONG, June 17 – Meghalaya Government on Wednesday admitted in the Assembly that employees of the State Cooperative Marketing and Consumer Federation Ltd (Mecofed) were not getting salaries for the last seven months.

Cooperation Minister Charles Pyngrope said in reply to BJP member AL Hek’s question that the salary was not paid to them as there was a ‘huge difference’ between the monthly income and expenditure of the Mecofed. He said Mecofed was supposed to generate its own funds for paying salaries, but the huge gap between its income and expenditure was the reason of the backlog in...

SHILLONG, June 17 – The Social Welfare Department of Meghalaya failed to utilize 85 per cent to 100 per cent of the Central funds available under the National Programme for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in the State, the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India placed in the State Assembly has pointed out. Despite the nominal budget allocation of eight per cent from 1998 to 2003 for implementing the People with Disability (PWD) Act, 1995, the department failed to utilize 55 per cent of the same, the report stated.

The CAG report observed that this showed the Social...

SHILLONG, June 13 – The Comptroller and Auditor General of India has rapped the Meghalaya AIDS Control Society for the latter’s “failure” to utilise 79-80 per cent of funds available during 2001-03, affecting implementation of national AIDS control project in the state, reports PTI. In its report for year ended March 31, 2003, the CAG said the NACP was fully funded by the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) of the Centre to combat the onslaught of HIV/AIDS epidemic and funds were released by NACO directly to the society in a phased manner.

The CAG said the society’s non-utilisation of...

Shillong, June 1: The budget earmarked for the small-scale industry and tourism sectors is expected to be hiked with the 12th Finance Commission showing interest in augmenting the budgetary allocation of these sectors in Meghalaya. A team of the 12th Finance Commission is currently in Shillong on a two-day visit to assess the state’s financial growth and needs during the next Five-Year Plan period.

The team, headed by C. Rangarajan, met ministers and state government representatives and members of industry and commerce organisations.

While the commission members did not disclose the...

SHILLONG, May 24 – After stopping coal export to the neighbouring country of Bangladesh from Meghalaya for 22 days, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday allowed ‘safe passage’ to coal-laden trucks to ply on the road along the international border at Borsora in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The BSF had ostensibly suspended traffic movement along the border road on security concerns, thereby bringing about a complete halt to the export of coal to Bangladesh from the state. Coal exporters, however, described the move as an example of the alleged “highhandedness” resorted to...

SHILLONG, April 2— Meghalaya is going to receive Rs 80 crore (1.96 billion yen) from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) for renovation and modernisation of Umiam Stage II Hydro Power Station, Meghalaya State Electricity Board (MeSEB) sources have revealed. Meghalaya is one of the recipients of the Official Development Assistance (ODA), routed through JBIC, a Japanese Government's official agency extending ODA loan assistance to developing countries, amongst eight mega projects involving the States of Delhi, West Bengal, Uttaranchal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and...

SHILLONG, Dec 17 ? The Meghalaya Government is open to the proposal for suitable amendments to the Land Transfer Act in order to facilitate real estate transaction among the indigenous non-tribal residents of the State. Stating that the interests of the permanent non-tribal residents cannot be ?sidelined,? Chief Minister DD Lapang urged the members of the Legislative Assembly, NGOs and political parties to come forward with suggestions for amending the Act.

The existing Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act of 1971 restricts sale or transfer of immovabe properties among non-tribals...

GUWAHATI, Dec 12 ? In a significant order, the Gauhati High Court has directed and restrained the Meghalaya Government and its officers as well as non-government organisations and associations from collecting any money from truck owners and drivers at various check gates installed on the National Highway 62 until further orders. The order, made while disposing of the case (No WP(c) No 9654/2003) filed by the Goalpara District Truck Owners? Association, further instructed the Meghalaya Government to ensure that the truck owners and drivers were not harassed on PWD roads by any organisation or...

SHILLONG, May 31? A plan size of Rs 555 crore has been fixed for Meghalaya for 2003-04 financial year as against revised plan outlay of Rs 480.43 crore for last year, reports PTI. The plan allocation was finalised after Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang accompanied by his deputy Donkupar Roy and other senior officials met Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K C Pant in New Delhi on Wednesday last, according to a delayed official report reaching here.

The approved Plan size of Rs 555 crore included an amount of Rs 27.57 crore as additional Central assistance for implementing the Byrnihat...