DIMAPUR, JANUARY 15 (MExN): Two opposition NPF MLAs today said that Nagaland State Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio is responsible for two recent controversies in the public domain—the alleged mismanagement of Niti Ayog grants and the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
A joint statement from NPF MLAs BS Nganlang Phom representing 49-Tamlu A/C and T Torechu representing 60- Kiphire Pungro A/C stated that as Minister in-charge of Rural Development in the State, in all respect the Chief Minister is responsible for “mismanagement of Rs.185.09 crores which was released as additional Grant under Niti Aayog on 08-11-2017.”
They also alleged that fund allocated by the High Level Committee (HLC) was ignored and sub-allocations were made unsystematically in violation of guidelines. They further rued that the “fate of four communitized departments in the State viz. School Education, Power, PHED and H&FW are at stake due to the unilateral decision taken by Minister in-charge.”
The legislators further alleged that of the Rs.96 crores allocated by the HLC as Grant-in-Aid for the 74 RD blocks covering 1238 VDBS in 11 districts of Nagaland, “only 2 districts, viz Peren and Dimapur has received, though the same was released by the finance department in the month of March, 2018.”
With regard to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, the MLAs pointed out that the Chief Minister sought the attention of the centre for review of the Bill only after the opposition NPF raised the issue and also temed it "unprincipled" on the CM's part for not raising the matter in 2016 because he was the lone MP of NPF representing Nagaland then. The MLAs also questioned why the current LS MP did not raise his objection in the parliament before the bill was passed.
