Kohima, September 25 (MExN): The Nagaland State Government’s Department of Planning and Co-ordination (DoPC) has clarified today on the “double drawal” issue (for construction of 17 hostels). The issue was raised by the Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) earlier this month. The NPRAAF had also found the response on the issue given by the Finance Department of the State Government to be unsatisfactory.
This compelled the DoPC to clarify. It stated that the amount of Rs. 1002.50 Lakh was “drawn twice by the Planning Department for construction of 17 hostels on different occasions and under different Drawal Authority Letter and that the total amount for the project doubled to Rs. 2005.00 Lakh.”
It clarified that “the construction of 17 Hostels was funded under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the year 2015-16 with an estimated cost of Rs. 2005.00 Lakh and during 2015-16 the Ministry has released Rs. 1002.50 lakh as 1st installment and released another Rs. 1002.50 Lakh as 2nd and final installment during 2016-17 and as such this cannot be taken as double drawal.”
Producing a list of beneficiaries, contractors and firms who took up the construction of the hostels, the amounts they received and the expected date of completion, the DoPC stated that the hostel at Arabil “was a clerical error and should be read as Eralibill.”
The clarification, signed by M Patton, Commissioner & Secretary (Planning), however mentioned that the location of the (Eralibill) Hostel was shifted to Longritong Colony, Dimapur “since there are more educational institutions within the vicinity and it will serve the interest of the students in a better way.”
With regard to the ST Girls Hostels at Longsa, “the Hostel is located at Longsa village, Mokokchung District and the hostel is already completed.”
With regard to whether the Planning Department was qualified to take up construction works such as hostels, the DoPC clarified that the 17 hostels “are funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and Planning & Co-ordination being the Nodal Department for dealing with matters pertaining to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the works were taken up under the supervision of the Engineering Wing of the Department.”
Assistance under CMCF 2016-17
Meanwhile, the DoPC has also made public a list of individuals, entrepreneurs and NGOs that were assisted under the Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund (CMCF) for the years 2016-17.
This was issued by Kevileno Angami, OSD Planning, in clarification to allegations regarding the same raised by NPRAAF earlier this month.
According to the clarification, drawal authority for an amount of Rs. 2.40 Crore was issued by Finance Department on the basis of the list of individuals/entrepreneurs/NGOs furnished by the Planning & Co-ordination Department. Drawal authority for Rs. 5.98 Lakh was issued for purchase of computers/ printers/ photocopiers and other logistic requirements of the Department, it informed.
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