Kohima, April 15 (MExN): The Principal Secretary of Rural Development, Lhoubeilatuo Kire has responded to the Naga People’s Front’s (NPF) allegations of “misuse” and “brazen favouritism” in distribution of funds sanctioned for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA) scheme.
Kire, in a statement on Sunday, demanded the NPF Press Bureau to produce proof/documentary evidences specifically to the accusations that the latter as Principal Secretary had taken money from the RD Department, issued CGI sheet, misused RD Department vehicles or taken any facilities of travel expenses during tours to Delhi for official works of the RD Department. In the event the NPF fails to do so, Kire cautioned that he shall be constrained to take up any recourse – traditional/customary/legal to clear his name to the people of Nagaland.
Reacting to claims that the NPF had ensured release of MNREGA funds, the Pr. Secy termed it “totally misleading and incorrect.”
Kire explained that the release of fund for this flagship scheme is based on the Labour Budget approved by the Empowered Committee of the Rural Development Ministry, GOI. “The sanction may have been released during the Government tenure under NPF; but by no stretch of imagination can the party claim that it ensured the releases, as the labour demand for the financial year for all the 74 blocks is already predetermined on the principle of “Labour Demand uploaded in the MIS” of the Rural Development Ministry site GOI,” Kire stated.
Responding to questions of the delegation of financial power of the Principal Secretary, RD Department in allocation of fund to DRDAs and villages, Kire cited Sub Section 1 of Section 21 of the MGNREGS Act and the powers conferred therein under clause (e) sub-section (2) of Section 32 of MGNREGA 2005 which provides rules to manage the receipt of fund, transfer and utilization of financial resources under the Act through the State Employment Guarantee Scheme Fund (SEGF). “The Act empowers the Commissioner of the Scheme for the above mentioned activities,” Kire stated.
“In pursuant to the powers, no fund can be released without the prior express approval of the Commissioner, who is the Principal Secretary, RD Department in the instant case. These include sanction of fund with administrative approval of the works released to all the DRDAs/ Blocks/VDBs,” the statement added.
Kire also reminded the NPF Press Bureau that he had taken over the Rural Development Department in the 1st week of April 2018 and further maintained that the personalized allegations could have been avoided and discussed over the table “to let me explain my side of the story.”
On a positive note, Kire thanked the NPF Press Bureau for raising the issue of functioning of the Rural Department in all its programmes and schemes.
“There is a serious need to bring about accountability and transparency in the department which the NPF well know what I am referring to,” the Pr. Secy stated and added that the Department is willing and committed to bring about change.
As such, he solicited support and cooperation from all as “MGNREGS bring about positive changes in the rural landscape of the State if the scheme is implemented earnestly on its objectives.”
“My conscience is clear that I have performed my duties within the existing norms of office procedures laid down,” Kire further maintained.
