Committee accuses MLA, DC of practising favouritism
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 01, 2012:
Regretting that existing 'Selection Committee' had been overlooked with regard to appointment of PDS agents, some Committee members alleged partial conduct by the Bishnupur District Deputy Commissioner and the Oinam AC MLA.
Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club today, Oinam Nagar Panchayat chairperson Oinam Budhi Singh claimed that the Deputy Commissioner misused discretionary power in issuing official list of 14 individuals selected as PDS agents for the seven polling stations of Oinam AC.
Stating that Deputy Commissioner, Bishnupur is the chairman of the Selection Committee with Nagar Panchayat chairperson and members as the Committee members, Budhi said the DC issued a meeting notification on May 14 to work out PDS agents.
Inspite of the meeting schedule the DC conspicuously skipped the meeting and also did not turn up when a second meeting was supposed to be held on June 11, recounted the Committee member while informing that the second meeting went ahead with the DSO presiding over the session.
Contrary to the DC failure to attend the meeting an order on the appointment/selection of 14 agents was issued by the DC on June 15, he said and disclosed that on being approached the DC claimed knowledge and involvement of the MLA in selecting the agents.
Pointing out that the Selection Committee was specifically set up to maintain transparency in the distribution of PDS items, Budhi opined that appointment of the agents in the most surreptitious manner amount to nepotism and discrimination against deserving individuals.
Moreover inaccurate details about the individuals selected as PDS agents such as not mentioning of surnames/titles and describing the agents' parents as deceased when they are very much alive and vice-versa only testify that the selection procedure was not holistic, charged Budhi, who was accompanied by Ngaikhong Zilla Parishad member Th Bira Singh, and oinam Block Congress Committee president Oinam Ibochouba.
The trio also affirmed that the Government of Manipur would be urged to intervene for ensuring transparency in not only the selection process but also in the distribution of the PDS items.