Dimapur, August 17 (MExN): The ACAUT today rejected Finance Department’s clarification regarding construction of a ‘Golden Bridge’ over River Tizit on Mon-Tizit Road as “vague and hogwash.”
The matter relates to former allegation 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 had claimed 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. A fresh drawal authority was issued in May in super cession of the earlier one since it had lapsed without being drawn, the clarification stated.
“A more detailed and reasonable clarification backed by irrefutable evidence was expected from the Finance Department to such a serious issue rather than a vague and hogwash clarification,” ACAUT Nagaland said in a statement issued by its Media Cell.
Maintaining that the OSD of the department “should not be commenting in public without producing evidence” the ACAUT demanded that the OSD “produce evidence that indeed no money was drawn in the first instance.” “Only independent inquiry committee should be able to get to bottom of the matter,” it stated.
Regarding the classification of expenditure under Non-Developmental heads, ACAUT further alleged that “the Finance Department is issuing fabricated statements and absolute lies to misguide the public.”
“The two drawals totaling Rs. 57 Cr 9 lakhs were drawn under Non-Developmental heads; whereas in one of the drawals for construction of a bridge under E.E. Dimapur Division dated recently, that is, 3rd May 2017, amounting to Rs. 2447.17 lakhs, it was issued under State Plan,” it added reaffirming its earlier allegation.
The Rs 12.52 Crore drawn on October 20, 2016, for construction of a bridge on Mon-Tizit road over River Tikang, was also under Non-Plan, ACAUT further pointed out.
“If there is a decision of the Central government to do away with the traditional classification of expenditure into State Plan and Non Plan as stated by the Finance Department, why was it classified as State Plan and Non-Plan in the above mentioned drawals? This is nothing but heights of falsehood and deception,” it argued.
“Why take such a long circuitous route to draw the amount in Kohima and transfer it to Mon when the money could have drawn in favour of E.E. PWD (R&B), Mon, in the first place?” ACAUT further questioned regarding the clarification by PWD (R&B) that the Rs. 2854.97 lakhs amount was drawn in favour of EE PWD (R&B) South Division, Kohima and later transferred to Mon.
The PWD is yet to answer about the so-called ‘Improvement of City Tower to DC Court Junction’ project work amounting to Rs 20 Crore when the stunning reality is that there is no road in this stretch, it said.
