NPRAAF questions fund release to Geology & Mining Department

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 1 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) today informed that the Finance Department (FD), Expenditure ‘B’ Branch on two occasions released a total amount of Rs 20.72 crore for “construction of RCC Bridge across Tizu River in Mini-Laluri Link Road.”  

A press note from the NPRAAF said that on January 13, 2017, an amount of Rs 10.09 crore was released through Drawal Authority (DA) no. 32 of 2016-17 under demand no. 54 – Geology & Mining while on May 1, 2017, Rs 10.63 crore was released through DA no. 1 of 2017-18 under the same demand number.  

The forum questioned “how was it possible for the FD to release Rs 10.09 crore under State Plan (Additional Fund) and Rs 10.63 crore under State Plan (RE) for the same project.”  

“What does State Plan (Additional Fund) and State Plan (RE) mean? This further brings out of the issue of still using the nomenclatures Non-Plan, State Plan etc despite the direction of the Central Government against its usage of such, as per FD’s own stand. All such usage of nomenclature indicates that the government is running short of vocabularies to be used in Drawal Authorities,” it added.  

On the FD’s recent response that “releases of funds were based on sanctions from the concerned Ministry,” the NPRAAF questioned if so, “then Rs 20.72 crore was released under which scheme; whether it is NEC, NLCPR etc and the sanction/release by the GoI be clarified by the FD.”  

It meanwhile also sought information regarding the total cost of the project, how much amount has been released so far and name of the contractor/firm.  

“There are reports that the project cost had already been released before also and the latest two DAs of Rs 20.71 crore is an additional cost over and above the original cost released purportedly as adjustments of contractors, politicians and bureaucrats,” the NPRAAF claimed, while asking the FD to provide a clear clarification.  

It also questioned whether the G&M Department is the nodal department or authorized to carry out construction of bridges while R&B Department is in place. “If so, does the G&M Department have enough qualified technical officers to undertake the project?” it asked.   

Meanwhile, the forum pointed out that in the first DA, the name of the road is mentioned as “Mini-Laluri Link Road” while in the second DA, it is mentioned as “Nimi-Laluri Road.” “This variation in names (Mini & Nimi) makes it appear like the projects are different whereas it is the same project. Is this another ploy to confuse the public or just a clerical error again – a technique which the government departments often resort to in order to cover up any misgivings?” the NPRAAF wondered.