NPF’s fiscal position statement claim is misleading, says NPCC

Kohima, July 24 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has condemned the NPF’s statement – “NPF clarifies to Congress allegations”, published on July 23 last in local dailies. It stated that the NPF has desperately tried its best to cover up its misdeeds with unrealistic contentions. 

The NPCC in a rejoinder here issued by R Paphino, Chairman, Media Cell stated that the NPF’s claim of Rs. 494.23 crore as deficit and fiscal health as sound and well managed and that there is no error in the annual statement of accounts are misleading and contradictory. Therefore, the NPCC has termed their contention as an “irresponsible statement” on the fiscal position of the state. 

The NPCC argued that NPF’s financial management has ultimately revealed alarming consequences of slicing away the state’s allocation of Rs.1,172.64 crores as debt servicing out of the gross budget of Rs.5322.88 crores of which implies that more than 30% of our total budget will be exhausted because of  ill-financial management. 

Meanwhile, it also said that NPF has always tried to keep away from serious issues of huge deficit, sky rocketing figures of debt servicing and also financial irregularities (Scams) committed by people in power.

Furthermore, the NPCC has accused the NPF for misusing the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) funds. It claimed that the fund has been used for the benefit of their party workers and not the mass. NPCC stated that “their adherence to the guidelines can at best describes as using machineries like JCBs/bulldozers, purchasing of Bolero vehicles from project funds, issuing work orders to NPF party leaders, lapses in payment and job cards to villagers, setting aside NREGA funds for NPF leaders in assembly constituencies”. 

The note went on saying that as far as law and order in the state is concerned the DAN government has failed miserably. It also stated that the Union Home Minister has also expressed his concern and disappointment at Nagaland government’s dismal role in containing law and order to the Chief Secretary and the NPF government.