Our Correspondent
Kohima | March 23
The Nagaland Bamboo Development Agency (NBDA) has not prepared Bamboo Development Mission Document. Annual Action plan was prepared without conducting feasibility studies.
This was stated in the Report of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (C&AG) on Socio, Economic, Revenue and General Sectors for the year ended March 31, 2015 (Report No.1 of 2016) tabled in the state assembly session recently.
The report stated that faulty classification of “Forest area” and “Non-forest area” led to excess and inadmissible financial assistance of Rs. 47.10 crore. An expenditure of Rs. 59.30 lakh was incurred on items without approval of National Bamboo Mission (NBM).
The audit findings noticed in the working of NBDA also stated that funds of Rs. 1.86 crore sanctioned by NBM for plantation activities was diverted to other activities, adding that the agency procured saplings in excess of norm resulting in avoidable expenditure of Rs. 7.09 crore.
The report also stated that Rs. 0.32 crore released by NBM for disease and pest control was not utilized by the Board for the purpose resulting in high mortality ranging from 33 per cent to 39 per cent.
NBDA failed to set up 11 bamboo bazaars and 3 whole sale markets resulting in retention of unutilized funds amounting to Rs. 0.93 crore, the report stated adding that against the target to impart training to 130 field functionaries the agency trained only 63.
