Dimapur, Aug. 23 (EMN): The 11 gaon bura (GB) of the Diphupar Village Council (DVC) have issued a statement denying allegations that funds amounting to INR 1,10,50,000 was "misused." They claimed that the money had already been refunded to the extra assistant commissioner of Chumukedima, in Dimapur, on "several occasions" and that “we do not have any liability against the said fund.”
Lanutoshi, a village council member, said that the INR 1,10,50,000 was refunded to ‘bring tranquillity and peace’ in the village and not "to admit" that the funds were misused.
The group of GB stated in a press release that the ‘convergence fund’ was received and distributed to pay "accumulated wages" amounting to INR two lakh each to 33 members, which was claimed to be ‘permitted’ as ‘skilled labour wages’ under the act, and one which was due for the past two years.
The members also stated that the RD block had directed that 20% was to be retained by Diphupar village while 80% was to be returned to the department as ‘convergence fund.’
'In regard to this, we had constituted 7 members to hand over the remaining amount to the assistant project officer under the concerned RD-block. However the 7 members requested the department and had retained INR 44,50,000 and shared among 8 members for themselves,' the press release stated.
Further, a separate press release from the head GB of Diphupar village has claimed that the ‘gaon bora are a judicial board/body and hence there is no financial discretion or power over the funds that are being allocated and or sanctioned from the state government to a particular village.’
The press release mentioned that they have ‘no knowledge or idea about any fund that are being sanctioned and deposited from both the state and central agencies into the village development board (VDB) account of the village.’ Therefore, it stated, alleging that the GB misused the funds is ‘highly misconstrued.’
When contacted, the extra assistant commissioner of Chumukedima confirmed on Thursday the complete recovery of INR 1,10,50,000 in compliance with an interim order that the authorities had earlier served to the group of GB.
However, the issue seems to be far from over as the deputy commissioner of Dimapur is yet to receive a call of action from the Commissioner's office, not just for the GB but also for some of the village council members and village development board members of Diphupar village.
