Utilization certificates issued for labour welfare fund not submitted to AG
Source: IT News (IT Exclusive)

Imphal, July 05 2018: Peoples' credibility to the Chief Minister N.Biren Singh led Manipur government is slowing losing as his government top priority to root out corruption and misappropriation of fund has been left unnoticed at various departments of the state government.

Utilisation certificates for utilization of fund sanctioned for the welfare of labourers for three terms had never been submitted to the Accountant General Office.

Queries sought through the Right to Information Act (RTI) on how the fund sanction in the form of Grand -in-Aid for the welfare of labourers to the Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board of the State Labour Department revealed the reality which foresees misappropriation of huge amount of fund by the Board as UCs provided showed complete utilizations of all the sanction fund but when the matter was again inquired to the office of the Accountant General (A&G) Manipur, it is learnt that none of the UCs have been submitted to the office which checks for appropriations in the utilizations.

State Labour department has been on the news for quite a long time over misappropriation of fund before this government came to power.

And the same has been seen continuing even after the change of the government.

RTI activist Khumanthem Dhanachandra Singh of Naoremthong Laishram Leirak, Imphal West district sought information through proper channel about the amount of fund sanctioned and utilised by the Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board of the State Labour Department for the year 2011-12 to 2016-17 .

As per information provided the amount sanction for the Board in 2012-13 was Rs.50,000,00/-, Amount sanctioned and utilised for the year 2013 -14 was Rs.65 lakhs and amount sanctioned and utilised for the year 2015-16 was Rs.5,00,000/- .

As per the information there were no fund sanctions for the year 2011-12, 2014-15 and 2016-17 .

Interestingly, the Utilization Certificates showed complete exhaustion of the fund but the matter is not submitted to the A& G office.

Non submission of utilization certificate for grant-in-aid fund for the welfare of the people to any government department put halt the continuation of such grants-in-aids , but for reason best known to government authority, the Labour Welfare Board continues to receive the fund skipping auditing and appropriation of utilization by the Accountant General which is mandatory.

RTI Activist Khumanthem Dhanachandra Singh alleged that the UC provided to him appeared to be a fake one and that the designated officer of the time Elangbam Tomba who signed the UC as Secretary of the Manipur Building and Other Construction Workers' Welfare Board have to hold all responsibility as there are prima facie evidences of misappropriating the fund.

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