NPCC alleges mismanagement of developmental funds at Alongtaki

November 3, 2023 21 Views No Comment

Kohima, November 3 (MExN): The Public Grievances Department of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (PGD-NPCC) today raised allegations of mismanagement regarding developmental funds, particularly in the case of the 30 Alongtaki Assembly Constituency and called for a thorough verification and justification of the funds that have been expended.

The mismanagement of funds included the ongoing up-gradation of road and construction of Bridge for Longchem-Saring Road, Mokokchung for which work order was issued to M/s Win Enterprise on December 22 with Tender amount Rs. 1, 45,66,329.

The PGD-NPCC, citing a RTI report, alleged that 30% of the amount or approximately around Rs 43, 69,898 has been withdrawn but no work has been initiated so far.

The road condition is ‘deplorable and is almost non pliable’ and there is an instance of death in 2022, where a patient passed away on the way to the hospital because of the bad road condition, it claimed.

It was only on November 1, a concerned citizen of Longchem provided his JCB along with Rs 20,000 to patch up certain locations where it was non-pliable, it added.

In this connection, it urged the contractor to deliver the good road facility without further delay.

Meanwhile, the PGD-NPCC further stated that an amount of Rs 25 lakh was approved by SDPDB for purchasing two ambulance under LADP (COVID-19) Scheme 2020-2021 for 30 Alongtaki AC.

“The RTI report shows the status of the project/work as completed whereas no new ambulance is to be found and only one Gypsy is being used as an ambulance,” it alleged.

The PGD, NPCC, thus, demanded that the authority concerned take the health of the citizens seriously and do the needful at the earliest.

It further claimed that a RTI report showed that the construction of ‘Multi Purpose Hall Phase-I’ funded under LADP 2019-2020 Iconic Scheme for 30 Alongtaki AC with an approved amount of Rs 50 lakh by SDPDB as ‘completed’ but the building does not exist till date.

To this end, it demanded to know where the fund amount for phase-I was utilised and further appeal to all the right thinking citizens and CSO’s to check such kind of fraudulent activities.

The PGD-NPCC, meanwhile, pointed out anomalies in construction of Government High School at Lakhuni under ALongtaki AC for an amount of Rs 1crore in two Phases – Rs 50 lakh in 2019-2020 approved by SDPDB and another Rs 50 lakh in 2020-2021 approved by DPDB, and funded under LADP Iconic Scheme.

“The RTI report shows that verification committee members have already issued completion certificates whereas the School building is in deplorable condition,” and still under construction, it maintained.

There are no proper classrooms and due to the poor infrastructure students cannot attend classes during rainy season as there is no roof in most of the class-rooms, it added.

Accordingly, the PGD-NPCC cautioned the Verification Committee as to how completion certificate was issued when the work progress is just in the initial stage and demanded that the concerned authority prioritise the issue and complete the work at the earliest.

It further asked the committee to refrain from issuing completion certificate without proper verification and investigation.

The PGD-NPCC further demanded elected member of Alongtaki AC, Administration/Verification team to deliver a clear justification regarding the developmental funds at the earliest.

Nagaland Minister of Higher Education & Tourism, Temjen Imna Along represents the 30 Alongtaki AC in the State Assembly.