Moa Jamir
Are Nagaland legislators hell-bent to enter the record books for conducting the shortest Assembly Session in the world? Records seem to suggest so. After earning severe public consternation for conducting a 30 minute session (entire session) last year, they kept their reputation intact when the Eleventh Session of the Twelfth Nagaland Legislative Assembly, which began on March 15, was adjourned sine die on March 19 after a 13 minutes proceeding. That the Nagaland State legislators have nothing to discuss about the tabling of the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) Report on the same day is perplexing and holds ominous ramification for accountability, fighting corruption, as well as welfare of its populace.
Was holding a 13 minute session a part of austerity or were the matters concerning numerous anomalies in respective departments too close for comfort for the legislators?
The CAG report for the year ended March 2015 has detected, among other things, huge mismanagement of funds, lack of proper planning and implementation of central schemes, non-completion of projects and failure to submit Utilisation Certificates (UCs) for 104 grants in respect of 11 departments aggregating to Rs 217.65 crore till March 31, 2015.
A swift perusal of the report makes one cringe with anxiety over the state of affairs in Nagaland - A block development officer (BDO) transferring Rs. 1.37 crore to his personal account and Rs. 0.43 crores to another officer’s account; Rs. 2.32 crore to 48 ineligible and seven non-functional societies on the basis of false sales details; Non- functional Sports Complex despite incurring an expenditure of Rs. 58 crore on its construction; diversion of fund in all departments; Rs. 602.34 crore expenditure without a single kilometre road built; an SDEO drawing Rs. 2.54 crore fictitiously on behalf of pseudo-anonymous employees; fraudulent withdrawal of Rs. 2.81 crore by 41 Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDOs) etc – stuffs one usually comes across in mainstream thriller and heist stories.
Keeping a sense of humour intact despite ignominious circumstances, the report notes that the only aspect worthy of appreciation is the lack of “gender bias” in selection of sportspersons for imparting training at two establishments in the State.
But such ignominy does not seem to prick the conscience of those at the helm of affairs. Given the enormity of the situation, if at all they were serious about combating corruption and ensure accountability in governance, they must have at least tried to ponder over its implication and ramification.
However, they chose to give the report a silent burial. Lack of any formal opposition to bring the concerned department into scrutiny simplifies matters for them while magnifying the burden and crisis of common people.
Coming at the heels of a budget session where the Chief Minister chose to gloss over positive balance of Rs 71.62 crore in the current account, without outlining any fiscal measure to correct the cumulative deficits of Rs. 1149 crore, explains the scenario well. Whether the surplus is a reflection of unpaid salaries of many departments, is a moot point.
The only austerity measure the Government could come up with was to scrutinise the encashment of 300 leaves by retired government servants, and the decision to “voluntarily” forego allowances for refreshments, newspapers and magazines by Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and senior officers. To make them read less about stark realities? One wonders.
The common refrain of the Government is to lament over the share of employees’ salaries in State expenditure and government job mentality of the youth. But the public has no option as the policy maker cannot offer any viable alternative. The desolation of common people cannot be solved by organising festivals and road shows.
Those at the helms of affairs might accuse a critic of not understanding the intricacies of administrative mechanism in dealing with such reports. But for any objective observer, the report is too clear and straightforward to be circumvented with a conspiracy angle or administrative entanglement.
The State legislators nonchalant attitude in dealing with such matters has only emboldened those committing such anomalies and fraud in the system. Corruption is entrenched in every organ of the system. Are politicians afraid of possible repercussions in fighting the same?
Nonetheless, it is high time that State legislators walk the talk on corruption instead of uttering sweet nothings in public about accountability, transparency and good governance.
The people of Nagaland deserve better policies. We could do even without a government that is penny wise and pound foolish, sweeping acute anomalies under the rug but adopting austerity measure as a tokenism, much like its 13-minute Assembly session.
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