Guwahati: Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention into the allegations against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sharma of receiving Central government’s subsidy for setting up a food processing industry in Assam’s Nagaon district.
In a letter shot to the Prime Minister, Gogoi said, “I write this to you to draw your kind attention to the issue of allocation of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) subsidy, implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, to the family member of Assam Chief Minister.”
“It has come to notice that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) and the Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro Clusters, has allocated an amount of Rs 10 crore to M/S Pride East Entertainments Private Limited, the promoter of which is Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the wife of Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma,” he added.
The Congress leader claimed that earlier while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union minister Piyush Goyal gave a list of food processing projects supported under the component of PMKSY in the northeastern states in which the Pride East Entertainments Private Limited, a company owned Riniki Bhuyan, got a mention.
“Assam is home to many small and medium entrepreneurs, and companies with vast experience in food processing. Ignoring them for a media entity with links to the sitting Chief Minister is gross injustice to them,” Gogoi said in the letter.
He also asserted that government grants must be given to the genuine and needy beneficiaries who have displayed the expertise to utilise tax-payers’ money in a proper manner.
“Therefore, I am bringing this to your kind attention, and I humbly request your intervention (in the matter),” the Congress leader said.
–IANS