Source: The sangai Express
Imphal, July 27 2009:
The inquiry report of the High Powered Committee, set up under the precisions of Manipur Public Servant Personnel Liabilities Act with Chief Secretary as chairman to probe the case of misusing Rs 17 crores from the total amount of over Rs 22 crores sanctioned to the Power Department in March 2006, could not be tabled on the floor of the Assembly today.
On July 24, Opposition MLA O Joy had demanded tabling of the report of the High-Powered Committee during the discussion on de mand grants of Power Department.
Power Minister Phung zathang Tonsing had also assured to table the inquiry report during the discussion on passing the Appropria tion Bill.
However, the Minister failed to table the said report in the House today.
Explaining the failure of tabling the report, the Minis ter informed the House that the relevant files have not been, forwarded from the side of the High-Powered Committee.
The Minister went on to convey that the fund had been sanctioned from the normal plan amount and the Chief Engineers had sub-allocated the same.
So there is no irregularity, though some vested interested groups tried to mislead the people.
In case of any irregularity, appropriate action would be initiated, the Minister assured.
Reacting to the clarifica tion of the Power Minister, Opposition members O Joy and Radhabinod Koijam pointed out that the Manipur Public Servant Personnel Liabilities Act had been passed by the Assembly after due formality and the High Powered Committee has violated the Act passed by the Assembly.
Demanding to know whether the High Powered Committee is vested with the power to over rule the Act passed by the Assembly or not, the two Opposition MLAs further pointed out that in accordance with the Act, the report of the High Powered Committee was to be submitted within one month or two at the most.
The High Powered Committee had been entrusted with the case in March 2007 and now July month of 2009 is almost over, they said.
In case the Minister agree that the Committee has de layed in submitting its report then the matter should handed over to a House
Committee, they suggested.
Coming to the rescue of Phungzathang, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said the matter was not in his notice and assured that the report would be tabled through the Speaker in the next session of the Assembly.