Dimapur, Dec 6 (MExN): In a damning revelation of corruption in the clergy, some leaders of Zeme Baptist Church Council (ZBCC), are charged of misappropriating SSA funds amounting to a whooping Rs 17, 97,995 (Rupees seventeen lakhs, ninety seven thousand, nine hundred ninety five) provided by the State Mission Authority for implementation of Alternative Schooling programs for the year 2005-2006 in Peren. The amount which was directly given to ZBCC in three installments, was also not made known to the ZBCC executive council and remained a close-guarded secret among a few ZBCC leaders, alleged a detail-report from a concerned citizen identified as one Sibeule, who is reportedly a member of the ZBCC council as well. When contacted, a member of the council, on condition of anonymity, also confirmed the report as ‘true.’
The statement alleged that so far as the ZBCC is concerned, SSA ASP implementation in Peren district has failed completely and a few unscrupulous church leaders have breached the trust reposed on the council by the SMA and sold-out the Zeme clergy. It charged that the amount of Rs 17, 97,995 was not utilized to implement the program in Peren but was rather ‘hidden’ from the council. In its report submitted to the SMA, the council in its utilization certificate for the fund received from the SMA as per audit report of the Chartered Accountant engaged by them, fund received showed Rs 17, 97, 995 for the year 2005-2006. Out of this showed Rs 12, 16,350 utilized for implementing Non-Residential Alternative Schooling program. Also Rs 1, 32, 300 was shown as cash in hand. Interestingly the amount received from the SMA was never made known to the ZBCC executive council and remained a close-guarded secret only among a few leaders. Further, no internal audit was made by the ZBCC audit team, it was alleged. However the amount of Rs 12, 16, 350 was shown as being utilized for implementing NRAS in 3 wards in Peren town and 23 villages but no such under SSA was implemented as claimed at any point of time till date. Rather, the amount was mis-utilized and pocketed by few unscrupulous persons taking the name of ZBCC by some church leaders, it was alleged.
(The above mentioned 23 villages claimed to have been implemented the program are Nkozai Colony, Peren Town, Bana Colony, Peren Town Duiring Colony, Peren Town, Jalukiekam, Mhainamtsi, Peren Village, Ngwalwa, Sarnziuram, New Peren, Jalukie Nreu, Kendung, Pelekie, Ndunglwa, Nkialwa, Puilwa Old, Old Mpai, Deukoram, Mpai, Old Jalukie (L), New Jalukie, Kejanglwa, Peren Kipeujang, Peren (T), Jalukiezangdi, and Jalukie ‘B.) It noted that each of these villages have a Government Primary School and do not fall under the purview of providing ASP. The program is only for are for areas where there are no schools, it stated.
Furthermore, bogus nonexistent persons were listed as beneficiaries of NRAS and even dared to list bogus nonexistent villages as villages covered by the ZBCC under the SSA program. The project report listed for 2005-2006 the following as “villages”: “Peren Ndi,” “New Peren Ndi”, “Duiring (P)” and “Nkozaipoi (Z)”. There are so such villages therefore bogus, the report stated.
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In the ZBCC report the following places were indicated as NRAS-implemented areas: Jalukiekam, Jalukieram, Mbaupungwa, Nkozai Colony, Bana Colony, Duiring Colony, Mhainamtsi, Peren Village, Ngwalwa, Sarnziuram, Gaili, Jalukie Nreu, Ndunglwa, Nkialwa, Puilwa Old, Old Mpai, Deukoram, Mpai, Old Jalukie (L), New Jalukie, Kejanglwa, Peren Kipeuzang, Peren T, Jalukiezangdi, Jalukie B, New Puilwa, Mhaikam, Helagim and Ziumi and Peren. “In this instance too it is to be pointed out that all the villages where Residential Alternative Schooling is purported to have been implemented has been included in the list of Non Residential Schooling clearly indicating duplicity of area of operation. And all these villages have Government Primary, Schools except for Jalukieram and Jalukielwa. Interestingly Jalukielwa too is covered under Education Guaranteed Scheme by the State Mission Authority. Nearly 90 percent of the names submitted as school drop-outs and reached out under Alternative Schooling programme under SSA in Peren District for the year 2005-2006 are formal school going children either studying in Government run Schools or private Schools whose names have been callously used to show as school drop-out children reached out under Alternative Schooling programme. Some of the names listed in this category are married men and women who are well above 35 years of age and therefore do not fall under the purview of reaching out to children up to the age of 14 years. Though an amount of Rs. 4, 55,395.00 was shown as being utilized for implementation of No Residential Schooling in the above villages” the detail stated.
The detail also termed ‘curious’ the fact that the following places – Jalukie Town, Mhainamci, New Jalukie, Samziuram, Jalukie B and Peren Town – have been indicated as areas of operation by two or more of the following church councils – Zeme Baptist Church Council, Zeme Baptist Association, Liangmai Baptist Association and Rongmei Baptist Association. Ironically, New Jalukie and Samziuram have been shown as areas of operation by all the four church councils. “Can there really be so many School drop outs in these two villages which has necessitated all the four major Church Councils in Peren District to devote their time selflessly?” the detail queried.
The detail also quoted the ZBCC in its report: “It was made compulsory for all the teachers to give monthly progress reports countersigned by their pastors and VEC chairmen as supervisors.” On this the detail queried whether the ZBCC in order to cover its corruption has used the name of pastors and VEC chairmen or the pastors and VEC chairmen had connived “with the evil design” of the ZBCC in issuing false SSA Alternative Schooling monthly progress reports of their respective villages “lying blatantly with no guilty conscience.”
The detail also regretted what it termed as unscrupulous the action of the present Peren Deputy Inspector of Schools. It was alleged that the DIS “knowing fully well” that no RAS was implemented in Peren and no NRS ‘worth the name’ could be implemented, a clean chit was given to the ZBCC declaring that the council successfully and efficiently conducted the program covering 35 villages and 2 towns with 26 residential and 29 non residential Schools totaling 35 centre with an enrolment of 1003 students. The report submitted by the ZBCC endorsed by the Peren DIS also speaks of imparting vocational training like tailoring, cutting, stitching, knitting, embroidery, hair-cutting, shoes-shining to the children between the age group 11-14 years and that basic computer education was given to the children. “This is totally false” the detail stated.
“The exposure of the crafty manipulations of the ZBCC for wanton corruptions and misuse of SSA fund released to them by the SMA for the implementation of Alternative Schooling programme in Peren District for the year 2005-2006 has been necessitated to bring to the notice of all concerned, since the ZBCC has prepared a new project report for continuance of Alternative Schooling programme in Peren District for the year 2006-2007 and submitted to the State I 1 Mission Authority for consideration wherein more than 95 percent names of children shown as school drop-outs are dutiful, sincere and obedient from school going children” it added.
