DIMAPUR, JANUARY 11 (MExN): More legislators came out today with statements questioning the present government and the Rural Development Department over alleged “mismanagement of Grant-in-Aid (GIA).”
A joint statement by NPL MLAs Kuzholuzo Neinu (19-Phek), Yitachu (20-Meluri), Chotisuh Sazo (18-Chazouba), and Kazhienyi Khalo (17-Chizami) said that “the claims of the department, that fund was released to two districts and some blocks of another, has been disavowed by the respective districts.”
“We, as elected representative of Phek district would like to seek clarification as to how the district of Phek is being denied the same even after a lapse of almost a year of the funds being cleared from the State Finance Department,” the statement added.
Stating that the department is now “passing the buck to Central Ministry guidelines for the nonpayment of GIA,” the MLAs said this is “nothing short of incompetence on the part of the state government and the department.”
“The department should not safeguard the misdeeds of a few vested interest individuals by making unsubstantiated claims at the expense of poor innocent villagers. The delay of almost a year is uncalled for and the department should take utmost care when it comes to the schemes which the Centre is providing lest a small and economically weak State like Nagaland is refused further sanctions for misuse and mismanagement of the funds,” they said.
With regard to the department’s claims that non-availability of bank account has been one of the restrictions and that it was enforced in the beginning of April 2018, the MLAs questioned: “if so, would the department care to explain as to how the MGNREGA scheme has been implemented for the past years?”
They further questioned the Chief Minister, who is also Minister In Charge of the RD Department, to explain as to how “sub-allocation given to the communitized departments as per their requirements has been drastically reduced to bare minimum.”
“Was the advice of the Advisor, RD department even taken when the government decided to disregard the High Level Committee?” the MLAs asked.
Meanwhile, adding his voice to the issue, NPF MLA from 38 Wokha A/C, Chumben Murry said that as per interaction with VDB Secretaries in Wokha, “schemes have long since been submitted however; Wokha district also has not received the GIA backlog.”
“Parking money meant for development for a prolonged period is not acceptable and the department owes explanation to the people. The department will also have to clarify as to why allocation made to departments viz, H&FW; School Education; Power; PHED etc by the High Power Committee (HPC) which is headed by the Chief Secretary was ignored and curtailed and for what purpose,” a statement from the legislator questioned.
He meanwhile urged the Governor to institute an inquiry and simultaneously asked the department to immediately release the backlog for Wokha district.
