A day after two NPF legislators from Dimapur district made a statement on the issue of Grant-in-Aid (GiA) under rural development (RD) department, the NPF legislators from Kohima, Mokokchung and Tuensang districts Thursday in separate statements slammed the PDA government for allegedly changing the sub-allocation which was approved by the high level committee (HLC).
In a joint statement, NPF legislators of Kohima district including Khriehu Liezietsu, MLA, 10 Northern Angami A/C and Keneizhakho Nakhro, MLA 8 Western Angami A/C said that the NPF party led by Leader of Opposition, TR Zeliang, has been vocal about the disappearance of the Grant-in-Aid (GiA) for almost a year.
They alleged that the amount of Rs.96 crore sanctioned by Niti Aayog in November 2017 as part of special additional grant of Rs. 185.09 crore to Nagaland, never found its way to the beneficiaries.
They claimed that RD department, “in an attempt to save their political masters, is squirming to find a safe passage out of it by throwing words like ‘guidelines’ ‘criteria’ et al.”
Kohima district NPF legislators alleged that the department was also not performing as per Central Ministry’s laid down guidelines. They said Naga public deserved to know as to who and on what authority the government, right after their inception changed the sub-allocation of the various communitized departments, which was approved by the HLC. “This attitude of the present government to randomly change things according to their whims and fancy is a dangerous precedent,” they said.
Further, on the issue of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, Kohima NPF MLA reminded the NDPP leadership that “for the fainthearted action of today, the future of the Nagas is being put at stake and the Nagas shall remember this in the coming days.”
When the whole of Northeast was opposing the Bill, they said the PDA cabinet “meekly” urged the Centre to ‘Re-examine and Review’. NPF MLAs of Kohima called upon the Nagas “to stand witness to this betrayal” and give the present government “a befitting reply democratically in the coming days.”
Mkg NPF MLAs: NPF legislators of Mokokchung district accused the PDA government indiscriminately and insensitively managing public fund meant for the poorer section of the state.
In a joint press statement, NPF legislators from Mokokchung including Imkong L Imchen, Dr. Nganshi Ao, Amenba Yaden and Dr. Imtiwapang said there had been rejoinders and counter rejoinders to the issue of GiA to the various VDBs of the state, but little was said “about the kind of anomaly which the NDPP led PDA government has in the first place created.” Delving on the sub-allocation done by the HLC, the four legislators pointed out that after a proposal was sent by the state government, the centre (Niti Aayog) had been “gracious enough” to give an additional grant of Rs. 185.09 croroe to Nagaland which was sanctioned on November 8, 2017.
Accordingly, they said that after the sanction, the HLC did the sub-allocation for the communitized department with RD department as the nodal department. However, the MLAs said that after the NDPP-led PDA government was installed in March 2018, the sub-allocation done by the HLC was altered, which they maintained was against the norm and practise.
Four MLAs also provided figures (See table) for comparison of the sub-allocations done by the HLC and the PDA govt on its own.
In this regard, they asked “why did the Shri. Neiphiu Rio led PDA government find the need to change the State Chief Secretary headed High Level Committee sub-allocation? Were the views of the Ministers in-charge/ Advisors and Officials of the various departments sought before the arbitrary change of the sub-allocation?”
Citing the example of H&FW department, MLAs said when the HLC had allocated Rs. 14 crore, the NDPP-led PDA government had drastically cut it down to mere Rs. 2 crore and asked “was the Minister in-charge in consonance with the change?”
When the sub-allocation of the HLC was allegedly altered, MLAs asked whether RD advisor, Dr. Nicky Kire agreed and was party and privy to it? “This despotic government which has little or no regard for the welfare of the State is time and again proving itself to be the greatest mistake that the people of Nagaland have committed by putting their faith and voting them to power,” four MLAs said.
In the light of the above, the MLAs have appealed to the governor to look into this matter and take corrective measures “before this government makes a further mockery of the democratic system and governance and also in-line with the guidelines of the Govt. of India.”
Further, they questioned where were the remaining amount out of the re-allocation gone? and demanded that government clarify to the people of Nagaland.
Name of Dept HLC allocation PDA-Govt. re-allocation
School Education 3,87,03,000 1,11,26,800
Power 11,71,00,000 6,65,00,000
H & FW 14,02,50,000 2,00,00,000
PHED 2,27,66,000 1,28,46,000
Rural Development 153,20,81,000 170,02,86,000
They alleged that PDA government has been unable to bring any new scheme or additional funds to the state, but was able “to magically make Rs. 96 crore which has been brought by the previous DAN government to disappear for almost a year.”
On the “arbitrary decision” of the government in changing the sub-allocation which was approved by the HLC headed by the chief secretary and AHoDs of the various communitised departments as members (school education, power, PHE, H&FW and RD as nodal department), NPF MLAs asked as to why and how the VDBs of the district have not fulfilled the criteria to receive the GiA in time. They also asked “what has the department done to correct the lapses if any in order that there is a smooth functioning in the future.”
Stating that the present dispensation was “at its weakest best”, the MLAs claimed that it would continue to misguide the Naga populace for the vested interest and self-aggrandizement of a select few.
MLAs have therefore urged the department, at the directorate and block level, to guide the various VDBs if they lacked the knowledge and provide them the share that they were due on a timely basis without delaying.