DIMAPUR, AUGUST 24 (MExN): The ACAUT Nagaland today alleged that Nagaland State Chief Minister is “withholding information” with regard to drawal authorities issued by the Finance Department on additional funds allocated during 2016-17 and funds released to flagship programmes during 2016-17.
A press note from the ACAUT informed that it had on April 6, 2017 filed an RTI at the Finance Department seeking information pertaining to above mentioned information.
The FD has so far denied the RTI information, it said. It informed that the ACAUT Nagaland team met the OSD, Finance Department, to inquire as to why the RTI information was not being furnished.
“The OSD very honestly revealed that the RTI was with T.R. Zeliang, then Finance in-charge, for review,” it claimed. Subsequently, the ACAUT Nagaland filed a complaint with the Appellate Authority, the Finance Commissioner on June 8, 2017 “but even after 1 month, the Finance Commissioner did not furnish the reply.”
“Again, the OSD expressed his helplessness and said that the RTI file was still with TR Zeliang, and that there was nothing he could do about it,” it said.
It informed that information sought in the RT were as follows: copy of all the drawal authority orders issued by the FD with respect to all the departments wef 1st April 2016 to March 2017; additional Funds allotted during 2016-17 with relevant documents (Names of the departments, Name of the project proposals and Total amount project and department-wise); and funds released to flagship programmes during 2016-17 (Name of the department, Amount of Central share and Amount of state share both current and backlog)
It questioned as to why the CM is “withholding information” and asked: “What is there in the FD that he is trying to hide? Is he trying to hide all the double withdrawals?”
It demanded that the Chief Minister “immediately release the RTI information and clear his name.”
It meanwhile informed that the CM and his council of Ministers have so far not confirmed to participate on the challenge posed by ACAUT to come and face the public at the August 25 rally.
Refutes former R&B Minister’s statement
In a separate press note, the ACAUT refuted a statement made by the then R&B Minister on May 21 that one of the factors responsible for the bad road conditions in the state was due to change in funding pattern and due to which the R&B department fund for maintenance has come down to just Rs. 40 Crore since 2015.
It informed that the Finance Department drawal authority shows that just two months prior to the press statement, the Department of R&B on March 7, 2016, and March 16, 2016, had made two drawals of Rs 3242.50 Lakhs (Rupees 32 Crore, 42 lakhs and 50,000) and 2000.00 Lakh (20 Crore only) totaling to an amount of Rs.5242.50 lakh (52 crore, 42 lakh and 50,000) for maintenance for roads under various divisions.
Further, it said that the R&B dept. again made a drawal of Rs. 2000.00 (20 Crore) on December 12, 2016 under maintenance of roads, thus, raising the total amount for road maintenance to Rs.7242.50 lakh (72 crore 42 lakh and 50,000)
In light of these revelations, the ACAUT asked why did the then R&B minister say that under the new funding pattern, the allotment for road maintenance was under 40 crore when the Department had just drawn Rs.52.42 lakhs; and when funding pattern is just Rs 40 crore for road maintenance in a year, “how is it that the R&B made over 72 crore drawals?”
