Dimapur, September 26 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) today lauded the Planning & Co-ordination Department for bringing out the details/names of contractors/firms/expected date of completion of 17 hostels funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and the list of beneficiaries of CM Corpus Fund 2016-17.
“While the Finance Department was beating around the bush only with the issue of double drawal, the Planning Department came out with details although the GoI sanction order/letter number was not revealed by either regarding the construction of 17 hostels under Article 275 (1),” stated a press release from Information & Publicity Cell, NPRAAF.
The response of the Planning Department, NPRAAF stated, is very encouraging and it provides ample opportunity for the public to understand whether funds received from the Centre are going towards the targeted works/projects. NPRAAF hoped that other departments will take cue from the Planning Department as it will be looking into irregularities in various departments from time to time.
Meanwhile, the Forum reminded the Planning Department about the release of Rs 31.90 crore (March 31, 2017) and Rs 19.89 crore (June 29, 2017), which also came under Article 275 (1) but there was no break-up details on what kind of “activities” the amounts were released for. NPRAAF urged the Department to come out with complete details as in the case of 17 hostels and CM Corpus Fund so as to allay any public opinion about misappropriation/fake/doubtful “activities.” Any additional details regarding other funds received under Article 275 (1), if issued in public domain, will certainly enhance the public image of the Department, it added.
Regarding competency of the Planning & Co-ordination Department to take up construction works and the point of nodal department, the Forum mentioned that as per norms, the department is to make plans and coordinate the programmes and policies of the State Government in collaboration with the line departments. “It is not supposed to hijack the job of other departments. However, since the Planning & Co-ordination is said to be the nodal department, it is a matter to ponder over as to whether the Planning Department is the right department to carry out such engineering works.” It is for similar reason that the NPRAAF had in 2016 urged the Tourism Department to do away with its Engineering Wing since it is unnecessary and burdens the state exchequer, the release said.
It further claimed that the Housing Department with Chief Engineer, Addl. CE, Dy CE, SE and an army of EEs, SDOs, JEs with varied technical experts are left without much work and are not supervising works of even Rs 10 crores in a year throughout the State. “However, just an EE posted in Planning Department supervising works amounting to nearly Rs 100 crores for construction of hostels and others projects/activities under Article 275(1); at the behest of vested politicians and bureaucrats is not at all justified. Additionally, an EE is also allowed to supervise works of more than Rs 10 crores yearly for repair/renovations of Planning quarters, roads, garages, storerooms, badminton courts etc,” it maintained.
The Forum once again appealed to the State Vigilance Commission to investigate into the drawal of funds under Article 275 (1) and repair/renovations of Planning quarters at Planning Colony, Kohima.
On the other hand, it stated, the beneficiary list of CM Corpus fund is interesting and it is for the public to judge whether many of the listed beneficiaries deserve the fund when thousands of entrepreneurs are struggling for government support.
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