Former Sumi students’ chiefs demand answers
Dimapur, July 14 : A group of former leaders of the Sumi Students’ Union has demanded answers from the Nagaland government over details–picked through the Right to Information Act (RTI)–pointing to missing funds of more than Rs. 75 Crore meant for the Mid-day Meal Scheme. Former SKK presidents Aheto V Yeputhomi, Hukavi T Yeputhomi, L Khevishe Achumi and S Zhevihe Sumi issued a joint statement on Thursday demanding that the State Vigilance Commission launch investigations.
Information provided by the directorate of School Education in reply to RTI queries filed by the citizens point to the Ministry of Human Resources Development having sanctioned a staggering amount of Rs. 151,49,91,000 to the department for the Mid Day Meal scheme during 2010-2016 alone.The statement read (given verbatim):
“Out of the sanctioned amount, the DSE could drawn an amount of Rs. 148,05,32,000 (Rupees one hundred forty eight crore, five lakh, thirty two thousand) only showing an amount of Rs. 3,44,59,000 (Rupees three crore, forty four lakh, fifty nine thousand) missing in between the Finance department (FD) and DSE.” Also, an amount of Rs. 1,32,00,000 (Rupees one crore, thirty two lakh) had been drawn as honorarium for cooks without appointing cooks in 2011-12.”
“Out of the drawn amount of Rs. 148,05,32,000/- from FD, the DSE could disbursed an amount of Rs. 76,19,17,836 (Rupees seventy six crore, nineteen lakh, seventeen thousand, eight hundred thirty six) only to 26 different DEOs/SDEOs missing an amount of altogether Rs. 80,95,76,836 (eighty crore, ninety five lakh, seventy six thousand, eight hundred thirty six) from the actual sanctioned amount of Rs. 151,49,91,000 (Rupees one hundred fifty one crore, forty nine lakh, ninety one thousand) from the Ministry of Human Resources, GoI during 2010-16 financial year.”
The citizens placed these queries before the government: “Where is the total missing amount of Rs. Rs. 73,98,73,164 (eighty crore, ninety five lakh, seventy six thousand, eight hundred thirty six)?”
Who is the go-between or responsible for the missing amount of Rs. 3,44,59,000 (Rupees three crore, forty four lakh, fifty nine thousand) in between the Finance department and DSE?”
The student leaders have asked the Nagaland Vigilance Commission to pursue “all these gross mismanagement in the ongoing investigation of crores of rupees at the expense of hundreds of thousand students without any reservation and affixed appropriate responsibilities at the earliest possible time so as to avoid the ire of the public and other the legal intricacies that may be prompted to unearth the loopholes and affixed responsibilities.”
