‘Rs. 2-3 Cr yearly but no balance’
Dimapur, August 25 (MExN): A councilor of the Dimapur Municipal Council today surfaced with serious allegations over the DMC’s finance and how finance is said to be handled for various works. The allegations also included one that said the council has been found with no balance account although its daily financial collection figures between Rs. 80, 000 to 1, 0 0, 000 totaling to Rs. 2 Crore to 3 Crore in a year.
Congress councilor Hejeto of Dimapur ward-nine today alleged in a statement that the financial position of the municipal body has seriously threatened its functioning. The DMC’s financial collection daily is approximately between Rs. 80, 000 and 1, 00,000 totaling to a yearly collection of Rs. 2.5 to Rs 3 crore, the councilor said.
With such financial collections, Hejeto stated, the staff “pays” have been delayed and even while it is being held up the present council has made 44 new appointment and 7 replacements. The present office should be having enough money considering the recorded collection, the member said.
He listed out the collections: Rs. 73 lakh security deposit for millennium market, collection of Rs. 60 lakh for construction at Hong Kong market (construction not yet started); an amount of Rs. 2,78,2000 security deposit for construction at New Market (the construction has completely stopped since 6 months, Hejeto stated); a mount of Rs. 50. lakh as government fund for the demolition drive; allotment fees of Rs. 22 lakh from tenants at New Market; collections for purchasing CCTVs of Rs. 200 from each shops within the municipal jurisdiction (the CCTV are not yet installed).
However, the most serious allegation the councilor made was that no balance have been found in account considering the stated amount of money the DMC makes. “The financial position when inquired and check it is learned that there is no any money balance. The reason based known to the chairman and his members where and how all these money has gone?” Hejeto queried. Further, it was stated that CPF for the DMC staff has not been deposited. “The defaulter of non-payment according to CPF under sec 7(A) of the act would be initiated and if so the present N.P.F. would be responsible,” he stated.
Hejeto said that the present DMC is being functioning “in self style” where ‘every business and transaction are not passed in the board meeting.’ The Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 clearly states in chapter 5 section 57 (c) that any municipal body shall meet for transaction of businesses at least once a month. “The present NPF-ruled DMC has conducted only twice (March and July in 2009) which is against the Municipal Act,” he said. The Congress members of the council have demanded resignation of the DMC chairperson and members to step down on moral grounds.
