DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 28 (MExN): The Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) today questioned the state Finance Department on the release of Rs 71.72 Crores to the PWD (R&B) for various works.
A press note from the N PRAAF informed that the Finance Department had released a total amount of Rs 27.25 crore on two occasions for construction of road from Sainik School, Punglwa to Jalukie (from ODR to Intermediate lane – 28 km).
The NPRAAF said that on 14 March 2017, Rs 12.80 crore was released while on 18 July 2016, Rs 14.45 crore was released under demand no 58 – Roads & Bridges.
The amounts were released under NLCPR without indicating the details of the release by DoNER, it alleged, while informing that it is also not indicated whether it was 1st installment, 2nd installment etc “thus creating a doubt about the genuineness of the release.”
It therefore urged the department to furnish the sanction and release/s made by the DoNER Ministry besides revealing the total cost of the project, amount released so far, name of the contractor/firm and whether the work has been strictly carried out as per specifications and satisfactorily.
Rs 44.47 crore bridges
Further, the NPRAAF informed that the Finance Department had on December 17 released Rs 20 crore against “additional fund” under demand no 58 –Roads & Bridges.
The amount was for construction of RCC girder bridge (double lane) on Phetso and Chuza River and extension of Dzumha bridge from single lane to double lane (Rs 13.00 crore); and for construction of RCC girder double bridges on Chathe, Daru, Hekhaperu and Teru in between New Chumukedima and Ngwalo (Rs 7.00 crore) In addition, as per the NPRAAF, the department on May 3, 2017 released Rs 24.47 crore under ‘State Plan’ demand no 58 –Roads & Bridges for the same project. The amount was for construction of RCC girder bridge (double lane) on Phetso and Chuza River and extension of Dzumha bridge from single lane to double lane (Rs 3.76 crore); and for construction of RCC girder double bridges on Chathe, Daru, Hekhaperu and Teru in between New Chumukedima and Ngwalo (Rs 20.71 crore).
The Drawal Authority (DA), it added, was “issued against the re-appropriation of fund from Demand no. 27 – Planning Machinery vide letter no.BUD/2-27/2017-18 dated 1st May 2017.” The NPRAAF asked the Finance Department to clarify what “re-appropriation of fund from demand no 27 – Planning Machinery” means.
It further questioned that if the department, as per recent claims, no longer uses the nomenclatures of Non-Plan, State Plan etc as per the direction of the Central Government, “then why is the FD still using ‘State Plan’?”
Stating that the total amount released so far is Rs 44.47 crore (Rs 20cr+ Rs 24.47cr) for the two projects, the NPRAAF asked the department to provide details regarding the total cost of the project, amount released so far, name of the contractor/firm and whether the work has been carried out successfully.
Since the Punglwa-Jalukie road and the RCC girder bridges on Chuza river, Dzumha, Chathe, Daru, Hekhaperu and Teru are all located along the same and adjacent road, the total amount released in two years for this route comes to Rs 71.72 crore.
The NPRAAF however expressed surprise at the appalling condition of the sites.
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