Mounting pressure on the PDA government over the issue of Grant-in-Aid (GiA), NPF legislators of Phek on Saturday sought a clarification from the government on how Phek district was being denied GiA even after a lapse of almost a year of the funds being cleared by the state finance department.
In a joint statement, Kuzholuzo Neinu, MLA 19 Phek AC; Yitachu, MLA 20 Meluri A/C; Chotisuh Sazo, MLA 18 Chazouba A/C and Kazhienyi Khalo, MLA 17 Chizami A/C, said they were appalled by the “flimsy excuse” of Rural Development (RD) department “in an attempt to shield the PDA mismanagement” of GiA by issuing press release with pompous technical terms to confuse the general public.
They said the claim that the fund was released to two districts and some blocks in another district had been disavowed by the respective districts.
The legislators said the department was now passing the buck to the Central Ministry’s guidelines for nonpayment of the GiA. “This is nothing short of incompetence on the part of the State government and the department,” they said and asked if the state government and department were not in place to assist the public and accordingly accord them the benefits that the Centre grants.
The MLAs maintained that the department should “not be adherent to safeguard the misdeeds of a few vested interest individual by making unsubstantiated claims at the expense of poor innocent villagers.” They said the delay of almost a year was uncalled for and the department should take utmost care when it comes to the schemes that the Centre was providing lest a small and economically weak state like Nagaland was refused further sanctions for misuse and mismanagement of funds. Further, on the claims of the department that non-availability of bank accounts has been one of the restrictions enforced since the beginning of April 2018, the MLAs asked, if so, the department should explain as to how MGNREGA scheme has been implemented for the past years if so.
They also alleged total violation of the Central Ministry’s guidelines of constituting a high level committee (HLC) and working out a sub-allocation by the HLC for the special additional grant. They said RD department overlooked the matter and changed the approved sub-allocation done by the HLC under the chairmanship of the state chief secretary. “Would the Chief Minister who is also the Minister In-charge of the RD department, care to explain as to how the sub-allocation given to the communitized departments as per their requirements has been drastically reduced to bare minimum. Was the advice of the Advisor of RD department even taken when the government decided to disregard the High Level Committee?” the MLAs questioned asserting that this act of the government was a declaration of how “this NDPP-led government would continue to undermine the democratic system and the wishes of the people of Nagaland.”
Wokha: Lone NPF legislator of Wokha district, Dr. Chumben Murry, asserted that NPF legislature party led by TR Zeliang was keeping a close watch on the functioning of the PDA government.
In a separate statement, Dr. Chumben Murry, MLA 38 Wokha AC, said the recently discovered “anomaly in the management of GiA by the Rural Department may just be the tip of the iceberg.”
NPF legislator of Wokha claimed that interaction with VDB secretaries in Wokha revealed that schemes have long since been submitted, but Wokha district also has not received the GiA backlog. He asserted that parking money meant for development for a long period was not acceptable and the department owes explanation to the people.
Dr. Murry also stated that the department would have to clarify as to why allocation made to departments such as H&FW; school education; power dept; PHED etc by the high power committee headed by the chief secretary was ignored and curtailed and for what purpose.
MLA has urged the Governor of Nagaland to institute an impartial inquiry. At the same time, he also urged the RD department to immediately release the backlog for Wokha district.