Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum (NPRAAF) has lauded the Planning & Co-ordination (P&C) department for bringing out the details 17 hostel projects funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, and the list of beneficiaries of CM Corpus Fund 2016-17.
NPRAAF stated that while the Finance department was beating around the bush only with the issue of double drawal, the P&C department came out with details though the GoI sanction order/letter number was not revealed by neither regarding the construction of 17 hostels under Article 275 (1). With the hope that other departments would also take a cue from the Planning department, NPRAAF said it would be looking into irregularities into various departments from time to time.
Reminding the P&C department about the release of Rs 31.90 crore (March 31, 2017) and Rs 19.89 crore (June 29, 2017) which also came under Article 275 (1), NPRAAF said there was no break-up details as for what kind of “activities” the amounts were released. NPRAAF in this regard urged the Planning department to come out with all details as in the case of 17 hostels and CMCF so as to allay any public opinion about misappropriation/fake/doubtful “activities.” Such information to public regarding funds received under Article 275 (1) would enhance the public image of the department, it added.
With regard to P&C department taking up construction works and being the nodal department, NPRAAF said as per norms, P&C was to make plans and coordinate the programmes and policies of the state government in collaboration with the line departments and not hijack the job of other departments.
However, since P&C was stated to be the nodal department, NPRAAF said it was a matter to ponder as to whether the department was the right department to carry out such engineering works. It was for similar reason that the forum had in 2016 urged upon the Tourism department to do away with its Engineering wing since it is unnecessary and burdens the state exchequer, it said. NPRAAF said that the Housing department with Chief Engineer, Addl.CE, Dy CE, SE and an army of EEs, SDOs, JEs with varied technical experts are left without much work and are not supervising works of even Rs 10 crores in a year throughout the state, it said.
However, it said “just an EE posted in Planning department supervising works amounting to nearly Rs 100 crores for construction of hostels and others projects/activities under Article 275(1); at the behest of vested politicians and bureaucrats is not at all justified.”
NPRAAF also pointed out that an EE was also allowed to supervise works of more than Rs 10 crores yearly for repair/renovations of planning quarters, roads, garages, storerooms, badminton courts etc.
In this regard, NPRAAF reiterated its appeal to the State Vigilance Commission to probe into the drawal of funds under Article 275 (1) and repair/renovations of Planning quarters at Planning Colony, Kohima. It pointed out that funds released under Article 275 (1) during 2016-17 alone was Rs 96.03 crore as published earlier.
On beneficiaries of the CM Corpus fund, NPRAAF said it was interesting and would leave it to the public to judge whether many of the listed beneficiaries deserved the fund when thousands of entrepreneurs were struggling for government support.