Morung Express News
Kohima | March 28
Failing to evoke a concrete reply from the ruling DAN government on the floor of the house for CBI and vigilance commission probe into the alleged transport subsidy and 9th IRB HQ construction scandals during the last 8 days of the ongoing stormy Budget session, the Opposition Congress today took the two issues to the State Governor, K Sankaranarayanan, for the latter’s intervention.
Congress submitted two separate memorandums on central sponsored transport subsidy and 9th IRB HQ construction cases, alleging serious corruption, involving embezzlement of public money, procedural lapses and violations of codal formalities.
Signed by all the seventeen Congress Legislators, the memo alleged nexus between NEDFi, the banks officials, middlemen including a foreign national and the officials of the State Industries and Commerce Department.
It said that in the release of Rs 25, 36, 69,009, by the Centre through NEDFi, Guwahati to the State Industries and Commerce department for meeting 90% of the entrepreneurs transport subsidy, all the entrepreneurs were forced to open joint accounts with two unknown persons including the foreign nationals only at the banks in Dimapur. NEDFi issued cheques in the name of the entrepreneur and the money were deposited in the joint account, the Congress said.
“The rightful entrepreneur could draw only 50 percent of the deposited amount with some deduction, while the rest 50 percent goes to the middlemen, including the foreigner”, the memo alleged.
Moreover, about 53 units, mostly from Mokokchung and Mon has not been paid till date as the said foreigner involved in the scam was out of station from Dimapur.
Therefore, it demanded that the CBI inquiry be instituted as the issue involved NEDFi and other nationalized commercial bodies.
In another separate memorandum, the Congress also said that there had been serious procedural lapses, violations of codal formalities and corruption in awarding of contract works for construction of 9th IRB headquarter at Saijang, Peren. The total cost is Rs 39.94 Crores at PWD SOR 2004 scheduled rate, however, it was originally approved at 85% above 2004 SOR, and thus the cost has come up to about Rs 76 crore, the Congress said.
There was no proper NIT issued and it was awarded to one contractor on turn key basis in a very surreptitious manner, Congress alleged. “It is learnt that the SPIC under the chairmanship of Chief Minister having realized the serious anomalies had reduced it to 20 percent above 2004 SOR. This reduction is comparatively much higher and unreasonable as similar work was awarded at Kiphire at 15% above 2004 SOR”, said Congress and demanded State Vigilance Commission inquiry into the matter.
Later, after submitting the memo to the Governor, CLP Leader, I Imkong said that the Governor’s response was mutual. However, if the latter fail to take any action, the Congress would take the issue to the Centre. They will meet Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Commerce Minister, Imkong told the press.
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