Dimapur, November 20 (MExN): In partnership with Zunheboto Range Students’ Union (ZRSU), the Nagaland-based NGO YouthNet held a RTI social-audit and public hearing on November 15 and the 16 at Zunheboto’s town hall. Six departments were identified by the public during the RTI (Right to Information Act) programme in the month of May in Zunheboto.
On November 15, a joint team of YouthNet and ZRSU leaders visited all the departments in the district to crosscheck information received through RTI and actual office records of the departments. PWD (R&B), Social Welfare and Planning were found to be the least-performing departments in terms of use of funds allocated to them.
According to YouthNet, the District Planning Office of Zunheboto is one of the most unproductive departments. Under the Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund for the year 2009-2010, a sum of Rs 21, 50, 000 was distributed to 31 beneficiaries in Zunheboto district. In their projects, the beneficiaries had shown various kinds of undertakings. However, the Planning office claimed that “none of the 31 beneficiaries have started their enterprise.” The department’s officials admitted that most of the beneficiaries were of political recommendations.
Under the Old Age Pension Scheme, bogus beneficiaries were identified. A total of 1,624 beneficiaries under Zunheboto town’s areas benefited. However, after a random visit to two colonies out of 13 colonies to crosscheck the details, the GB of North Point Colony in Zunheboto, Tokugha, revealed irregularities. He found that out of 54 beneficiaries from his colony, only 24 were genuine beneficiaries; 8 beneficiaries had expired and 22 beneficiaries were either bogus or unknown.
Under this department, it was found that the ambulance was not functional and was replaced by a Gypsy; functioning of the X-ray equipment supplied this year was unsatisfactory while the generator could not carry its power load. Also, the hospital was upgraded from 50 beds to a 75-bed hospital in November 2009 but due lack of infrastructure, only 50 beds are functional now.
One of the worst-performing departments was the PWD (R&B). During the year 2008-2009, Rs 135 Lakh was sanctioned to carry out 12 minor repair works. During 2009-10, Rs 190 Lakh was sanctioned for carrying out 8 minor works. For the year 2010-11, Rs.75 Lakh was sanctioned to carry out one major and two minor works. This took the total amount sanctioned from 2008-2011 for road works to Rs 400 Lakh.
On November 15, a joint team of YouthNet and ZRSU leaders visited all the departments in the district to crosscheck information received through RTI and actual office records of the departments. PWD (R&B), Social Welfare and Planning were found to be the least-performing departments in terms of use of funds allocated to them.
According to YouthNet, the District Planning Office of Zunheboto is one of the most unproductive departments. Under the Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund for the year 2009-2010, a sum of Rs 21, 50, 000 was distributed to 31 beneficiaries in Zunheboto district. In their projects, the beneficiaries had shown various kinds of undertakings. However, the Planning office claimed that “none of the 31 beneficiaries have started their enterprise.” The department’s officials admitted that most of the beneficiaries were of political recommendations.
Under the Old Age Pension Scheme, bogus beneficiaries were identified. A total of 1,624 beneficiaries under Zunheboto town’s areas benefited. However, after a random visit to two colonies out of 13 colonies to crosscheck the details, the GB of North Point Colony in Zunheboto, Tokugha, revealed irregularities. He found that out of 54 beneficiaries from his colony, only 24 were genuine beneficiaries; 8 beneficiaries had expired and 22 beneficiaries were either bogus or unknown.
Under this department, it was found that the ambulance was not functional and was replaced by a Gypsy; functioning of the X-ray equipment supplied this year was unsatisfactory while the generator could not carry its power load. Also, the hospital was upgraded from 50 beds to a 75-bed hospital in November 2009 but due lack of infrastructure, only 50 beds are functional now.
One of the worst-performing departments was the PWD (R&B). During the year 2008-2009, Rs 135 Lakh was sanctioned to carry out 12 minor repair works. During 2009-10, Rs 190 Lakh was sanctioned for carrying out 8 minor works. For the year 2010-11, Rs.75 Lakh was sanctioned to carry out one major and two minor works. This took the total amount sanctioned from 2008-2011 for road works to Rs 400 Lakh.
