DIMAPUR, APRIL 8 (MExN): Planning Minister, TR Zeliang has responded to the NPCC by stating that the party’s booklet “contains full of lies.” A press note from the Minister reacted sharply to the NPCC allegation that money meant for Veterinary College and Mithun project was siphoned off by him as Minister of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry without executing the works.
Terming this as “totally false,” Zeliang stated that the NPCC “refused to understand and admit the fact even after the department detail reply to RTI applications filed by local congress leaders and the PAC report which was tabled during the last assembly session.”
It welcomed the NPCC for spot verification and public debate if they feel they can substantiate their allegations. It added that the allegations are “just to confuse the people.”
The Minister informed that till 2008, import of meats and its products from outside the state was more than 60% causing loss to the people economy of the state. However, under DAN-II regime (2008-12), the import of meats from outside the state was slashed down to 40% and local produce gone up to 60% as per sample survey report of the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department, he stated.
He informed that the proposed Veterinary college, though approved by ICAR and for which the state cabinet has approved Jalukie as the site for the said college, “the question of releasing money by the centre does not arise at this stage.” “The amount of Rs 12.25 crores as mentioned by the NPCC was sanctioned from within the state Budget under SPA for development at the proposed site,” he added. Subsequently, the executive engineer, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry department allotted works to various firms’ local contractors as per NPWD Schedule of Rate during the span of 5 years, after observing all codal formalities, he said.
Stating that all works have been completed within the stipulated time and as per the specification, he informed that the Public Account Committee of the Assembly had also visited the spot and tabled its report in the last assembly session.
The Minister further clarified that the proprietor of M/s Hi-Tech Construction Company was not his son, as alleged by the NPCC and the said firm was allotted with a contract work of black topping the approach road of about one and half KM only.
Regarding the Mithun Project, Zeliang said that the amount of Rs 13 Crore was sanctioned under state budget (SPA) for a period of five years for preservation of Mithun. And as per the sanctioned amount the project was implemented in nine districts of the state except Dimapur and Mokokchung, out of which 12 villages were covered in Peren district. He informed that Mithun rearing requires a vast area with sufficient forest cover for grazing. As such, the department implemented the project in various villages after thorough study by the Mithun Project Committee set up by the department and feasible areas were selected.
“Therefore, the allegation of NPCC that the selection of beneficiary villages is plagued with absence of feasibility studies and irregularities in disbursement is totally false,” he said.
He further refuted the NPCC allegation that Rs 1.52 Crore for 69 works were undertaken by M/s Hi-Tech Construction and the work was never executed. The Mithun Project was implemented mostly by Village Council authority and not by any contractor as alleged, he added.
On the allegation that Rs 1.17 crore was paid to four villages for five mithun, the Minister dismissed it and informed that the total sanctioned on all such project comprises of different component like fencing, construction of animal sheds with feeding centre, hut for cowboy etc were covered.
Stating that he has respect for all political leaders in the state, including leaders of the NPCC, the Minister called upon the Congress to not to be misled by “concocted stories of some petty local party leaders as such publication cannot remove the reality on ground and official record of the govt. department.” “It is high time for all of us to be constructive in our approach and march forward for further progress and development of our state,” he said.
