Dimapur, Sep. 17 (EMN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has alleged the state government of indulging in yet another case of withdrawing fund twice for a single project.
A press statement from the forum on Sunday stated that the state’s finance department had on July 11, 2016, released Rs 10.03 crore for ‘construction of 17 hostels for scheduled tribes boys and girls at various locations of the state.’
However, on May 29 this year, the same authority had once again released the same amount for the same project “thus resulting in double drawals for the same project”, it stated. The NPRAAF listed the following projects against which funds were withdrawn twice:
- Hostel-cum-auditorium at Pfutsero, Phek – Rs 107 lakh
- Hostel at Zuketsa EAC hq attached to GHS Phek – Rs 75 lakh
- Hostel at Mokokchung – Rs 37.50 lakh
- Hostel at Thongsu village attached to GHS Tseminyu Kohima District – Rs 68 lakh
- Hostel at Tenyiphe, Dimapur – Rs 72 lakh
- Hostel at Naga United village, Dimapur – 109 lakh
- Hostel at Wokha Town – Rs 73 lakh
- Hostel at Arabil, Dimapur – Rs 36 lakh
- Hostel at Noklak, Tuensang – Rs 33 lakh
- Hostel at Jalukie, Peren dist – Rs 68 lakh
- Hostel at TM School, Kohima – Rs 37.50 lakh
- Hostel at Longleng – Rs 35.50 lakh
- Hostel at Kiphire – Rs 35.50 lakh
- Hostel at Gatashi, Zunheboto – Rs 35.50 lakh
- Hostel at Meluri – Rs 36.00 lakh
- Hostel at Selouphe, Dimapur – Rs 73 lakh
- Hostel at Chen town, Mon – Rs 71 lakh
“However, since the same amount with same break-up fund was drawn twice on different occasions under different DA and vide numbers, the total amount comes to Rs 2005.00 lakh (Rs 20.5 crore) for the same project.
“Such double drawals are nothing but provides absolutely doubtful conclusion about the non-transparent functioning of the government. This doubt is further attested with non-existence of many hostels indicated in the details of hostels and break up of funds”, it stated.
“Arabil, Dimapur is a place which NPRAAF has never heard of except Eralibill, Khushiabill etc in Dimapur. Such concocted nomenclatures only give rise to strong suspicion about corrupt activities in the state government.”
The forum also cited another instance in which the state government had released Rs 718.58 lakh (Rs 7.19 crore) on June 16, 2016 for construction of four ‘new hostels for 400 ST girls’. Locations for construction of the four hostels are:
- Botsa – Rs 170.17 lakh
- Chumukedima – Rs 142.41 lakh
- Longsa – Rs 172.79 lakh
- Noksen – Rs 233.21 lakh
“The drawal authority was issued in favour of Kohima (N) Treasury. While the actual existence of the hostels is yet to be ascertained, the department did not specify as to which district Longsa falls under since there are two villages in the state with the same name in Wokha and Mokokchung district. In this case too, nothing has been indicated in the DA as under which scheme/programme the government of India sanctioned the amount except merely mentioning, ‘the expenditure is to be classified under CSS against the sanctioned budget of the current financial year.’
“Thus, a total amount of Rs 27.25 crore (Rs 20.05 crore + Rs 7.19 crore) was released for construction of hostels in Nagaland during 2016-17 and 2017-18. The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) demands the concerned departments (sic) to clarify on this issues with complete details including names of contractors/firms, time taken for completion of hostels since the release of amount indicates that works have been completed, whether any additional fund was released etc.
“The concerned department (sic) is also urged to furnish copies of the government of India sanction for construction of hostels. It also questions whether the planning department is qualified to take up construction works such as hostels. Is construction the planning department’s subject matter beyond choking (sic) out plans for the state? Is there no implementing department for such works/projects?
Since the state government has a questionable history of issuing double drawals and drawals against non-existent projects, the NPRAAF calls upon all concerned students’ unions, NGOs and citizens to verify the physical existence of the mentioned hostels in their respective jurisdiction and fight for their rights,” it stated.
Between March 14 and 18th this year, Rs 2.46 crore was released ‘for payment of financial assistance to various individuals/entrepreneurs under Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund (CMCF) without any list of the beneficiaries’, it alleged.
“The drawal authority was issued in favour of Kohima (North) Treasury vide NO.BUD/8-27/2016-17/TN/125 through DA no 57 (A) of 2016-17 under demand no. 27 – planning machinery and vide NO.BUD/8-27/2016-17/QC/311 through DA no 72 of 2016-17 under demand no. 27 – planning machinery.
“When the Finance department issues such drawal authorities, it is supposed to show the list of all those beneficiaries. However, no such lists were shown in the two DAs which is a strong enough reason to describe it as dubious releases only to be embezzled among few people unless the department comes out with crystal clear and unblemished proof and evidence,” it stated.
The Forum has demanded the department concerned ‘to disclose the list of all those beneficiaries with complete details in public domain within a reasonable time-frame failing which the forum will approach appropriate authorities in the larger interest of public’.
