Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi demands Piyush Goyal's clarification on allocation of Rs 10 crore funds to Himanta Biswa Sarma's wife

Assam Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Gaurav Gogoi on September 18 demanded answers and questioned Union Minsiter Piyush Goyal over the allocation of funds from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) to a company associated with the family of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. In a letter addressed to Union Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal, Gogoi highlighted the issue and called for transparency.

The MP pointed out that the Ministry of Food Processing, under the PMKSY and Scheme for Creation of Infrastructure for Agro Clusters, had allocated Rs 10 crore to M/S Pride East Entertainment. This company is promoted by Smt. Riniki Bhuyan Sharma, the wife of Assam's Chief Minister.

Gogoi referred to a response given by the Office of the Minister of Commerce and Industry on March 22, 2023, to questions in Lok Sabha regarding government initiatives to support industrial promotion in Assam. In the response, a list of Food Processing Projects supported under the PMKSY in the North Eastern States as of January 31, 2022, was provided. Notably, M/S Pride East Entertainment Private Limited was listed at Serial No.7, with an approved Grant-in-Aid of Rs. 10,00,00,000.

The MP emphasized that the information about this allocation can also be found on the website of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Despite this evidence, Himanta Biswa Sarma has denied receiving or claiming any amount from the Government of India.

Gaurav Gogoi has requested the intervention of the Union Minister of Commerce to ensure public transparency and clarify the situation. He emphasized the importance of government grants being directed to genuine beneficiaries who have demonstrated the ability to utilize taxpayer funds appropriately. Gogoi suggested that established media channels seeking to enter new business ventures should seek credit from the financial sector.