Morung Express News
Kohima/Dimapur | November 25
A feeling of uneasiness has been openly expressed by some technocrats working under the State government over remarks made by the Chief Minister recently while initiating an interactive session with senior level technocrats on November 6 at Kohima. The Chief Minister as was reported in the local media had openly expressed dissatisfaction with the ‘Road & Bridges’ division and made mention of numerous shortfalls and the equally possible scopes for improvements.
Expressing helplessness over such remarks made by the Chief Minister in the presence of several ministers running such departments as Works & Housing, Urban Development and Planning, Rural Development, Transport besides the presence of senior bureaucrats, engineer-in-chief, chief engineers and engineers of the various development wings, the concerned technocrats expressed the view that instead of blaming the technocrats or engineers, the government should address the ‘dirty corrupt practices’ dogging the system starting from the politicians and their cohorts who are allegedly indulging in blatant looting of funds meant for public development.
Making serious allegations, it was disclosed to The Morung Express that under Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS), the concern minister takes a 10% cut while 6% is diverted for ‘party fund’. This nexus even involves the concern local MLA who allegedly pockets 5-10% from the CSS. It was also alleged that the ‘senior top technocrat’ takes 5% while the undergrounds demand 10%, which is finally negotiated to around 2-3% each for the different factions. Another 3% is subtracted for ‘Delhi expenditure’. It was pointed out that except for the mandatory 10% kept aside for the ‘contractor’s profit’, the others listed above amounted to fund diversion as they are not in the estimate of project cost.
Likewise, under the Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) which is an important development programme for rural connectivity, it was alleged that the local MLA of the area in concern pockets 10-15% while 6% is diverted towards ‘party fund’. UGs share is around 5-6% while the ‘senior top technocrat’ demands 2%. Further making serious allegations, it was divulged that a certain top technocrat is responsible for collecting the party fund. “He should be in jail”, charged one source while divulging the modus operandi behind the large scale diversion of public money meant for the State’s development.
“When the Chief Minister or any other politicians share their concern for quality control, why don’t they address the problem of blatant corruption within the system? Why do you think the quality of development work is going down? The engineers are being blamed and made into scapegoats. Even if we want to clarify to the public and come out into the open, we will be punished and transferred”, the officials divulged on condition of anonymity.
It was disclosed that in order to carry out such modus operandi, there were ‘preferred few contractors’ and that mostly non-locals were favored. More specifically on the handling of huge funds coming in for development, it was alleged that the south division Kohima has become the central hub from where this modus operandi is being run. It was alleged that this was in total contravention of the PWD Code which clearly lays down financial rules and delegation of powers and that all norms and rules have ceased to exist under the ‘dictatorship of the corrupt few’. It was informed that there are 27 sections in the Roads & Bridges department all having separate accounts but these have become redundant as all monetary transaction is now controlled by the south division. According to the PWD code, the Executive Engineers in the respective division is authorized to allocate and execute the funds of each area sector.
“The code has ceased to exist and sector wise allocation is not followed because of the corrupt nexus at the top”, it was alleged pointing out that even the Finance and Planning Department was keeping silent.
Some of the Engineers and technocrats expressed concern that this was the only development department in the State and that it was now corrupted beyond recognition. It was further alleged that certain top bureaucrats without knowing the basic norms of engineering and rules related to cadre management were destroying the system in nexus with politicians and their cohorts. It was also alleged that some Ministers have themselves become contractors and were running their own private firms to execute public works without knowing the basics of engineering and in clear violation of rules. An example cited was the ‘Mid pier’ constructed in the Kukidolong Bridge, which is nearing collapse even though this project was completed only very recently. “Now the engineers will be blamed although even having a mid pier in the first place is stupid engineering to begin with”, it was alleged. “Nagaland Engineers can do better but they are not given a free hand by the powers to be”, it was stated.
The concerned engineers have called for quick remedial measures before the entire development process is hijacked by vested interest individuals and groups. In this regard, an appeal was made to the CID, the State Vigilance and the Naga Students Federation to intervene and help cleanse the corrupt system before it is too late. It was also observed that on paper at least, it was showing that rural development is taking place in proportion to the fund received and that if and when Delhi declares Nagaland an urban State, the public will suffer as they will not get any more money for rural development and this will adversely affect the future prospects of development in Nagaland.
