Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly’s Committee on Public Undertakings is tightening the screws on delinquent debtors and power officials. During a Thursday meeting, chairperson Charles Marngar pushed for answers regarding a Rs 29 crore outstanding loan held by Byrnihat-based CMJ Breweries Pvt. Ltd. While the company paid back Rs 23.98 crore of its Rs 61.94 crore principal, the remainder lingers. The Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) must now step up recovery efforts before the August 2026 deadline.
Debt recovery remains a headache. Greystone Smelters and Greystone Strips Limited had their loans written off by the MIDC Board on September 24, 2025. The committee clarified that this move does not waive the debt. Both firms have one week to settle their accounts. Meanwhile, Aura Hotels and Resorts Pvt. Ltd. cleared its Rs 51 crore balance entirely. Badhok Nongmalieh Ford Dealer at Mawiong Rim settled its tab by handing over a 43,22,000-square-foot property at Kawa Sing in Ri-Bhoi district.
The panel also hammered the Power Department over irregularities found in the Comptroller and Auditor General report for the year ending March 31, 2022. Officials released payments under the SAUBHAGYA and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana schemes without checking mandatory insurance documents. The department must submit a comprehensive report on these failures within one month. Officials responsible will face consequences.
Committee members Santa Mary Shylla, Banteidor Lyngdoh, and Sanjay A. Sangma voiced frustration over recurring transformer shortages across the state. They demanded better supply to prevent electricity outages. Marngar warned that the panel will keep a close watch on the situation, stating, "The Committee would continue to closely monitor all pending issues discussed during the meeting, particularly those concerning the Power Department."
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