Finance Dept & PWD clarify on corruption allegations

DIMAPUR, AUGUST 16 (DIPR): The Nagaland State Finance Department today issued a statement on allegations that the Finance Department and the PWD had drawn the same amount of Rs. 2854.97 lakhs twice for construction of a single bridge over river Tizit on Mon-Tizit road.  

The department, in its clarification, said that these allegations have been made without ascertaining facts. It clarified that the first drawal authority with validity date up to April 20, 2017 had lapsed without being drawn as per the decision of the Works & Housing Department. The file was subsequently re-submitted to Finance Department to re-validate the earlier drawal authority. Accordingly, it stated that a fresh drawal authority was issued in May in supercession of the earlier one since it had lapsed without being drawn.  

Further, the department clarified that the “word ‘non-developmental’ is used now in the classification of expenditure in the State’s budget following the decision of the Central Government to do away with the traditional classification of expenditure into ‘Plan’ and ‘Non plan.’” It reflects capital expenditure that has not been allotted to the Planning Department, it stated.  

The department however said that the expenditure in question has been captured in the records as ‘capital expenditure’, and does not attempt to conceal anything. The Finance Department requested that before allegations of such serious nature are leveled, sufficient attempts may be made to ascertain the correct facts.  

In a separate press release issued on August 15, the Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) also clarified that the drawal authority for an amount of Rs. 2854.97 lakhs was received from the Finance Department during May 2017 and payments made accordingly to the Contractor for the work. This release was made since the validity of the drawal authority issued during April 2017 had lapsed and funds were not utilized, the PWD claimed.  

It therefore reasoned that the question of drawing the same amount twice is not correct. The department further clarified that although the drawal authority was issued in favour of EE, PWD(R&B), South Division, Kohima, the funds were transferred to EE, PWD(R&B), Mon Division and the payments were released to the Contractor by R&B Mon Division and not by South Division, Kohima.  

This clarification, it informed, is issued as per the records available in the Department and the respective R&B Divisions of South Division, Kohima and Mon Division.