Dimapur, Oct. 10 (EMN): Continuing its series of exposure on the practice of financial mismanagement committed by various departments of the state government, the Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) on Tuesday provided financial details suggesting misappropriation in PWD (Roads and Bridges).
“The state Finance department (Budget and Monitoring Cell) has released Rs 20 crore twice (total –Rs 40 crore) for all the 24 Divisions under PWD, Roads and Bridges during the same financial year 2016-17: first on 12 December 2016 and then on 16 March 2017. The amounts were released under Non-Plan for “maintenance of roads” during 2016-17.
“To avoid making it appear exactly the same, amounts were interchanged for Phek division and Pfutsero division in the second DA. Similarly, amounts for Kohima south division and construction division were also given a variation in the second DA but the total amount for this two divisions remained the same Rs 5.20 crore (total- Rs 10.40 crore) for both the DAs. The rest of the 20 divisions got exactly the same amount for the two consecutive DAs,” informed a press release from the group on Tuesday.
According to the NPRAAF: “The releases of these amounts are in addition to crore of rupees released separately for different stretches of roads within the 24 divisions. When the FD releases Rs. 20 crore for all the 24 divisions, it is a glaring record-breaking exercise that Rs. 20 crore approximately was released for improvement of road from City Tower to DC Court Junction Dimapur as reported in the local dailies. This road stretch could be the most prestigious road in the entire state whereby the authorities appear to upgrade the road into ‘Smart Road’ since Dimapur has so far not made it to the list of Smart City Project.”
The Finance department, according to the statement, also released Rs. 8 crore (21 March 2017) under non-plan for various works mentioned thus:
- Phek town road repair: Rs. 1 crore
- Kohima town works: Rs. 3 crore
- Improvement of Mon town roads: Rs. 1 crore
- Black topping of Bayavu circular road: Rs. 50 lakh
- Billy Graham Road: Rs. 1.50 crore
- Cathedra, AG, Ladys Mile etc: Rs. 60 lakh
- Flyover Bridge approach road and Eros lane approach road Dimapur: Rs. 40 lakh.
Another Rs. 40 lakh (14 March 2017) was released under non-plan for “MR of Bayavu circular road via NBCC office”, it stated. “The FD also released a total amount of Rs. 3.39 crore on two occasions dated 9 December 2016 and 30 March 2017 during 2016-17 for the following:
- On 9 December 2016, Rs. 3.05 crore was released under NLCPR as “Release of Grant component only for upgradation (sic) of road from Alongchem to Mangkolemba via Impur, Mopungchuket, Omngchem 15 km (Ph-1) (Up to WBM and Bituminous works) - 3rd and Final Instalment.”
“If the above two releases were the 3rd and final instalment, the FD is urged to inform the public on the earlier releases for the same project and provide the total amount for it. Further, a total amount of Rs. 12.32 crore was released on three occasions for “construction of Viswema-Kidima-Zuketsa-Tadubi road” during 2016-17 dated as under:
As such, the NPRAAF has asked the department of Finance to ‘enlighten members of the public on the total cost of the project and amount released so far.’
The Finance department had released Rs. 19.24 crore during 2016-17 for repair/maintenance of national highways-ordinary repairs-special maintenance-flood damage repair, according to the NPRAAF.
“Out of this amount, Rs. 2.90 crore was released on two occasions even before the GoI sanction money was received by the state government. The amounts were released on the strength of fund allocation conveyed by the GoI, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. There are several cases of such fund-anticipated releases by the FD flouting norms and procedures.”
