Ex-CM RK Ranbir's son set to file more PILs
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 10 2016:
After filing PILs against alleged irregularities in different Government Departments, former Chief Minister RK Ranbir's son RK Premjit of Keishamthong Longjam Leirak is set to file PILs against Education Department, Indira Awaz Yojana and Agriculture Department.
Speaking to reporters at Manipur Press Club, RK Premjit said that he is a public-spirited citizen, who is vigilant towards preventing corruption in public offices and safeguarding the rights of the minorities and downtrodden sections of the society.
Premjit said that upon getting several reports/complaints of mismanagement and misappropriation of Centrally sponsored funds as well as State funds by officials as well as beneficiaries in the Department for the Welfare of Minorities and Other Backward Classes (MOBC), he cross checked through his independent sources and observed several alleged anomalies and misappropriation while distributing sizable funds meant for needy minorities and OBCs.
To name a few, Premjit said, he found alleged rampant misappropriation of funds in the distribution of Pre-Matric and Post-Matric scholarships under MOBC meant for deserving minority and OBC students.
A sum of Rs 1,67,000 (Rupees one lakh sixty-seven thousand) was allegedly released by MOBC to one beneficiary as a means-cum-merit (MCM) scholarship for the academic years 2013-2014 and 2014-2015, he said.
The beneficiary was supposed to be studying BTech Civil Engineering in the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) .
However, it is learnt that the said beneficiary is neither a student nor admitted to the NERIST for BTech Civil Engineering course, Premjit said.
Similarly, some beneficiaries were also allegedly granted scholarship for doing MBBS course in the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh.
Interestingly, PGIMER does not offer MBBS course, he said.
Premjit said that consequently he filed PIL No 34 of 2016 at the High Court of Manipur praying, among others, to stop releasing money to unqualified and fictitious students and to award the scholarships instead to deserving students.
The Court had served notices to the State respondents on August 26 last and the matter is pending, he said.
In another development, RK Premjit said, he received several reports/complaints of embezzlement and misappropriation of taxpayers' money by way of paying too less, or not paying at all, the amounts sanctioned to the fish farmers under different schemes of the Government of Manipur.
Upon checking the information through his independent sources he observed several anomalies and misappropriation while making payments to the fish farmers of Manipur, Premjit said.
He said that he observed many recommended or selected beneficiaries fish farmers were not paid any money or paid less than what was sanctioned under different schemes.
In many instances, the names of the beneficiaries were repeated and there were evidences of official collusion in misappropriation of money in many districts, Premjit said.
As such, he filed PIL No 35 of 2016 to stop alleged erring and illegal practice of embezzling and misappropriating taxpayers' money.
The Court had served notices to State respondents on September 7, he said.