‘Govt. spent INR 5.66 cr. to buy land for Agur Factory in Dimapur’

Dimapur, Dec. 4 (EMN): The department of Planning and Coordination, government of Nagaland acquired plots of land worth INR 6.66 cr. at four different locations in Dimapur district during the period 2013-14 to 2016-17, according to the Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF). According to a press release from the forum, eight cheques for INR 4.53 cr. were forwarded to the deputy commissioner of Dimapur on Dec. 20, 2016 by the department of Planning and Coordination. In 2013-14, the government had released INR 12 lakh and INR 2,00,64,325 as part payment for two projects. The INR 4.53 cr. package, according to the NPRAAF, was spent on:

• Acquisition of land measuring 40, 559 sq. ft. for 220 KV power line at Thahekhu village, Dimapur – INR 52,72,670 (released on 20 Dec. 2016)
• Acquisition of land measuring 252881 sq. ft. at Hovishe village in Niuland for establishment of 1^st NAP Company – INR 25,28,810 (INR 12,00,000 released in 2013-14 and INR 13,28,810 released in 2016-17)
• Acquisition of land measuring 28.88 acres (1258440 sq. ft.) for setting up of Agur Factor at Razaphe Basa, Dimapur – INR 5,66,29,800 (INR 2,00,64,325 released in 2013-14 and INR 3,65,65,470 released in 2016-17)
• Acquisition of land measuring 20257.85 sq. ft. for installation of 20 MWA 66/11 KV sub-station at Sovima, Dimapur – INR 22,08,106 (released on 20 Dec. 2016)

The total cost for those four plots released in 2016-17 comes to INR 4,53,75,056. When the part payments made in 2013-14 for the projects mentioned in the list-3 are added, the total amount comes to INR 6,66,39,386, it informed. “The huge amount of INR 5.66 cr. paid for Agur Factory is quite astonishing and NPRAAF wonders whether the factory exists or any works in this connection has ever started at the acquired site. It is learnt that huge payments have also been made for setting up Agur Factory in other districts. “Therefore, NPRAAF urges upon the responsible department (sic) to enlighten the public on the status of the four projects and payments made for acquisition of land in various districts,” it stated.