Dimapur, April 20 (MExN): An organization said to be a research group, Anthropological Society of Nagaland (ASN), today refuted allegations suggesting that it also has a hand in the current corruption scandal revolving around the implementation of the controversial National Rural health Mission (NRHM) in Nagaland.
The ASN said in a press release today that it has met to deliberate on the allegations leveled by the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) as reported in the Media concerning alleged misuse of funds under the NRHM.
The ASN referred to a new report that money sanctioned for research work by the Anthropological Society of Nagaland was also found misused. “It may be clarified that the research work assigned to the organization has been carried out vide the NRHM office order NRHM/NL/Estt/A-171EC-1/49/2010596 dated Kohima the 31st August, 2010. In this regard, the report of the research work assigned to the ASN has already been submitted and awaiting publication,” the ASN said. Therefore, it explained, the question of misuse of fund received for the research as alleged is “incorrect” since the work was actually carried out.
Likewise, the ASN refuted the charge that “…the Anthropological Society has drawn money amounting to Rs. 22 lakhs which is even beyond the total population of Nagaland State…” The ASN clarified that the amount of Rs. 22 lakhs is as per the allocation projected by the funding institution. “That the organization has already drawn a sum amounting to Rs. 22 lakhs is also found to be untrue. It must be noted that in any projects, no funding agency in the country ever releases the total project amount before the final submission of the report.
Therefore, the question of sanction or withdrawal of the total project sum does not arise since as per procedure, the release of the final installment is yet to be made.”
The organization also took exception that the research costs have been correlated with “the total population of Nagaland State.” This is not justifiable because any researcher would come to understand that research is not only about collecting information from the people but it also involves various collateral activities pertaining to the processing and treatment of data, the ASN said.
Further, the ASN noted with it called “a very confusing and vague statement” in the Media that read “…while for radio program there was also a withdrawal report of Rs. 11 lakhs which was never paid.”
“If the statement is intended to further allege the ASN in any manner for the withdrawal of the said amount for radio programs, it is clarified here that the ASN has never been involved with any radio program under the NRHM nor have the ASN withdrawn any money for such programs from the NRHM or for that matter from any other Agencies whatsoever,” the ASN said.
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