Moa Jamir
A detailed analysis of Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) of India Report on Nagaland is an extremely frustrating undertaking. The frustration arises not only due to the amount of anomalies highlighted, but the casual inaction and silent burial the report is given every year at the altar of the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly.
According to the latest CAG Report for the year ended 31 March, 2016, the total amount of loss to Government due to “theft, misappropriation or loss of Government material” (misappropriation hereafter) amounted to Rs. 597.76 crore. If the amount attributed to non-submission of ‘utilisation certificates’ (UCs) at Rs. 145.98 crore is added to that, the total will come to Rs. 743.74 crore. The amount, if recovered, could swiftly cut into half the estimated State’s budget deficit of Rs. 1,437.84 crore for the financial year 2017-18.
While juxtaposing the two can be dismissed as mere conjecture, it is used contextually to elucidate how the State’s financial affairs operate and how ‘business as usual’ continues over the years with astounding impunity and nonchalance from those at the helm.
A comparative analysis of the previous years’ reports is greatly illustrative. In the 2009-10 CAG Report, the amount attributed to ‘mismanagement’ was only Rs. 68.20 crore which decreased slightly to Rs. 67.49 crore in 2012-13. During the same period, non-submission of UCs for funds generated shot up from Rs. 3.94 crore (2009-10) to Rs. 255 crore (2012-13), an increase by over 6372%.
Could this explain, among other things, the 786% hike in ‘mismanagement’ over the years—from Rs. 67.49 crore in 2012-13 to Rs. 597.76 crore in 2015-16?
While the report, prepared annually, gives details about State Finances & Report on Social, Economic, Revenue and General Sectors, and is submitted in the parliament/assembly for necessary action, in Nagaland, the reports are considered futile exercise, neither binding nor eliciting an iota of action from the Government.
Holding a press conference after its submission in the State Assembly on March 28, Nagaland’s Accountant General (Audit) lamented inaction on the Report stating that the mandate of the CAG is only to audit the State government and present a report on the irregularities and shortcomings to the Assembly.
“The report is examined by the Public Action Committee (PAC) of the Assembly. It is for the PAC to give a recommendation, to take action on the report,” he said, adding that it is a “matter of concern” and “frustrating” that the PAC failed to initiate action on these reports.
Such inaction is extremely unfortunate and does not augur well for a State reeling under huge budgetary deficit over the years. Moreover, it emboldens those involved in the activities to continue without any qualms. The inaction is also telling for a State suffering from dilapidation in every sector and could allocate only about 20% of its total budget this year for developmental purposes.
Time is ripe for Nagaland State Government to cleanse the system and put the house in order. It is particularly imperative for a government who never shy away from boldly coming out with regular ‘Vision Document’ and promise to promote a “citizen centric inclusive and accountable government with a high degree of fiscal responsibility and prudent stewardship of public funds.”
Glossy verbatim without any substance and concrete action amounts to deliberate betrayal of citizens.
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