Cong accuse NPP-led MDA govt of misusing MeECL, ask regional parties to take a call

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaDecember 15, 2020

The opposition Congress has accused the NPP-led MDA government of using the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) for “own benefits” even as it asked the regional political parties to take a call on the issue.

“It is being seen that this government is using MeECL for their own benefit only. I think it is high time that the regional parties who are supporting the NPP-led MDA government should take a call,” Congress spokesperson and Rangsakona legislator, Zenith Sangma told reporters on Tuesday.

Sangma also reminded that politicians as elected representatives will have to go back to the people to seek their mandate after the five-year term ends.

“There have been narratives circulating around that this corrupt government is surviving because of the regional parties and these regional parties are supporting this present government because they are also getting share, the largest constituent having lion share,” he said.

“These are narratives, people are talking. So ultimately, these people will not be forgiven by the people of the state, people will not forgive them. Therefore, it is high time all the friends from the regional parties should take a conscious decision and act on it accordingly,” he asserted.

On the other hand, the Congress leader also reiterated the party’s demand that not below the rank of additional chief secretary should be appointed as chairman cum managing director (CMD) of MeECL.

“We would also once again demand that proper inquiry be done and the management should be streamlined at the earliest,” he said.

Sangma said schemes like Saubhagya and DDUGJY have created more liabilities to MeECL due to inefficient handling and corruption.

On top of that, he said the government is taking loans of huge amounts thereby increasing the liabilities of the company and repayment of the loan will be more than its capacity.

“Obviously it will be a burden which cannot be rectified and ultimately when there will be complete financial collapse then the situation will compelled the government to privatize the MeECL,” he said.

“So friends, we cannot allow MeECL with more than 4,000 employees to die because of inefficient management of the government and we have been repeatedly raising this issue both inside the house and outside the house as well,” Sangma stated.

Also slamming the government for delaying to release the salary to the MeECL employees, the Congress leader said the employees of the MeECL grade I and II have not been paid their salary since October and all other categories since November till date and even pensioners are not getting their pensions.

“During this festive time, we can understand the agony and the hardships being faced by the employees of the MeECL including its pensioners,” he said.