Assam firm

Guwahati, Sept 14: Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Gaurav Gogoi has brought attention to a controversy involving Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, and her firm, Pride East Entertainment Private Limited.

This controversy centers around the approval of a significant subsidy for the company, and it has led to a heated exchange between Gaurav Gogoi and Himanta Biswa Sarma. Here, we delve into the details of this unfolding political saga.

On September 14, 2023, Gaurav Gogoi took to social media to share a document that raised eyebrows in the political landscape of Assam. The document revealed that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s firm, Pride East Entertainment Private Limited, was listed as one of the agro-processing cluster projects under the Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing (APC) Scheme.

Gaurav Gogoi share the images on X and wrote, “The whole day yesterday Himanta Biswa Sarma parroted one line regarding his wife’s firm. For his benefit I am stating the reply of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament. Piyush Goyal’s reply has exposed the truth and both Ministers need to clarify.”

The APC Scheme, a central government initiative, aims to promote agro-processing clusters and boost agricultural activities across the country. It provides subsidies and support to businesses engaged in agro-processing to encourage growth and innovation in the sector.

What caught Gaurav Gogoi’s attention and sparked the controversy was the revelation that Pride East Entertainment Private Limited, a media company with various satellite television channels, magazines, and newspapers, received an “approved grant-in-aid” of Rs 10 crore for a food processing project under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) scheme. The PMKSY scheme is a flagship program of the central government aimed at improving agricultural water use efficiency.

Gaurav Gogoi, the Congress MP from Assam, wasted no time in sharing this information with the public. He posted a reply from Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal in Parliament to a starred question dating back to March of the same year. According to the statistics provided by Minister Goyal, the firm chaired and managed by Riniki Bhuyan Sarma received this substantial grant-in-aid.

In response to these revelations, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma issued a statement defending his wife’s firm and the subsidy in question. He emphasized that the Government of India had not released any funds to Pride East Entertainment Private Limited. Sarma firmly stated that neither his wife nor her company had received or claimed any amount from the central government.

This led to a heated exchange between Gaurav Gogoi and Himanta Biswa Sarma. Gogoi challenged the Chief Minister’s statement, questioning whether he was complaining to Union Minister Piyush Goyal. He pointed out that while Goyal had approved the grant for Sarma’s wife’s company, the funds had not been released.

Gaurav Gogoi also raised a broader question about the PMKSY scheme, asking how many other BJP politicians might have used it to benefit their families.

As this controversy continues to unfold, it has become a subject of intense political debate in Assam. The allegations and counterclaims highlight the complexities of governance and the scrutiny that politicians and their families face. The role of subsidies, grants, and government schemes in supporting businesses and individuals is a critical aspect of the discussion.

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The controversy surrounding Riniki Bhuyan Sarma’s firm and the subsidy it received has brought the spotlight onto the political stage in Assam. Gaurav Gogoi’s revelations and the subsequent responses from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma have ignited a robust debate on transparency, accountability, and the use of government schemes for private enterprises. As this story continues to develop, it serves as a reminder of the importance of transparency and ethics in public office.

Assam CM also said “Please do not change the goal post now. Yes, all family members of BJP politicians have the right to run their own companies and seek government subsidies if they are entitled to them. This is true for everyone. However, I would like to clarify that in this particular case, my wife has not even claimed the subsidy.”