NPF legislators from Mokokchung, Kohima keep heat on PDA

VDB secretary association informs direct benefit transfer will be made mandatory from this year 

Dimapur, Jan. 10 (EMN): The four NPF legislators from Mokokchung district have accused the ruling PDA government of indulging in “indiscriminate and insensitive management of public fund” meant for the poorer section of the state.

“We the four legislatures (sic) would like to delve on one specific point that is, on the sub-allocation done by the high level committee which was constituted as per guidelines of the centre. It is to be noted that after a proposal was sent by the state government, the centre (Niti Aayog) has been gracious enough to give an additional grant of INR 185.09 CR to the state which was sanctioned on November 8, 2017.

“And accordingly, after the sanction, the high-level committee did the sub-allocation for the commoditised department with rural development department as the nodal department. However, after the NDPP-led PDA government headed by Neiphiu Rio was installed in the month of March 2018, the sub-allocation done by the high level committee was altered which was against the norm and practise,” it stated. (Refer table)

The NPF legislators include Imkong L Imchen, Dr. Ngangshi Ao, Amenba Yaden, and Dr. Imtiwapang.

“Why did the Neiphiu Rio-led PDA government find the need to change the state chief secretary headed-high level committee sub-allocation? Were the views of the ministers in-charge/ advisors and officials of the various departments sought before the arbitrary change of the sub-allocation? Taking the example of H&FW department, when the high level committee had allocated a sum of INR 14 cr., the NDPP-led PDA government had drastically cut it down to mere INR 2 CR. Was the Minister in-charge in consonance with the change?

“When the sub-allocation of the HLC was altered, the Advisor of the RD-department, Dr. Nicky (sic) Kire agreed and was party and privy to it? This despotic government which has little or no regard for the welfare of the state is time and again proving itself to be the greatest mistake that the people of Nagaland has committed by putting their faith and voting them to power,” the statement read.

The four NPF legislators appealed the governor of Nagaland to look into this matter and take corrective measures “before this government makes a further mockery of the democratic system and governance.”

The NPF legislators from Kohima district on Thursday also claimed their “commitment to play the role of constructive opposition party is being manifested by the unearthing and boldly taking up a cause which will benefit the rural section of Nagaland” while referring to its latest allegation of financial misappropriation by the PDA government.

The two legislators, Khriehu Liezietsu and Keneizhakho Nakhro, issued a joint statement claiming that INR 96 cr., sanctioned by Niti Aayog in the month of November 2017 as part of the special additional grant of INR 185.09 cr. to the state of Nagaland, “never found its way to the beneficiaries.”

The duo went on to say that the department of Rural Development, “in an attempt to save their political masters, is squirming to find a safe passage out of it by throwing words like ‘guidelines’ ‘criteria’ et al.”

They stated that the Naga public deserve to know as to who and on what authority the government, right after their inception, changed the sub-allocation of the various communitised departments, which was approved by the high level committee. “This attitude of the present government to randomly change things according to their whims and fancy is a dangerous precedent,” the statement read.

In a separate statement, the Nagaland state VDB secretary association has informed all its 1243 boards that from the financial year 2019-2020, the implementation of direct benefit transfer will be enforced and made mandatory; and the benefits of the MGNREGA schemes will be directly transferred into the individual account of the job cardholders.

Therefore, it has informed all VDB secretaries to collect and submit the details of Aadhaar and bank account number of the MGNREGS job cardholders to the BDOs concerned for necessary implementation.

“It is to be noted that those VDBs who do not comply with this information will be deprived of their rights to the schemes and the department will not be in a position to help the VDBs. The efforts set by the government and the department for the successful implementation of the direct benefit transfer is a very positive steps and needs due cooperation from the VDBs.

“Therefore the association calls upon all the VDBs under the Nagaland state to take immediate steps in this regard,” the statement read.