Centre asks State to refund Rs 10 lakh meant for digitization of archival records
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 13 2015:
The Centre has asked the State Government to give back Rs 10 lakh sanctioned for digitization of Manipur State Archives.
According to sources, the State Government entrusted the work to a fake work agency.
The Central Government Deputy Director of Archives Dr MA Haque had intimated in a letter to Manipur State Archives Deputy Director that the grant amount must be sent back to the Centre through a demand draft in favour of National Archives of India DDO.
Official sources said the amount was to be used within January 1, 2015 .
Under the scheme, archival records which were supposed to be digitalized are 22,200 pages of Puya (ancient Manipuri scriptures) belonging to 18th and 19 centuries, a 50-page Durbar Resolutions adopted between 1907 and 1947, books written in Manipuri between 1930 and 1970, 50 pages of books written in English and published between 1913 and 1970, Manipur Gazette published between 1933 and 1947 and a 30-page Manipur Gazette published on 1986 .
Besides, a 70,000-page administration reports written in English between 1868 and 1975, a 50,000-page journals written both in English and Manipuri between 1930 and 1970 and a 2,8000-page trial document of Anglo-Manipuri War 1891 .
When the present Deputy Director, Manipur State Archives tried to find out the real proprietor of the Info Trade Services, but Longjam Ajit Singh or Michael Longjam was turned out to be fake proprietor of the work agency entrusted with the scheme.
In the circumstances, the digitization of records of the Manipur State Archives has been discontinued till date, the sources said.