EE suspended in PMGSY fund misuse case
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 13 2022:
An assistant engineer (now EE in-charge) of the Rural Engineering Department has been suspended in connection with misappropriation of Rs 7 crore fund sanctioned for Rengpang to Mongjaron Khullen PMGSY Road project under Nungba block in Noney district.
Meanwhile, RD&PR had asked the directorate of personnel to explore possible actions that could be taken up against a retired executive engineer named L Ajitkumar.
A suspension order issued by RD&PR department stated that disciplinary proceeding against Worthson Sareo, the then AE, and now EE (i/c), OSD to CE, RED is contemplated about PMGSY work (Package no MN07159 with road name: L029-NH-53 Rengpang to Mongjarong Khullen) under Nungba block.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, RD&PR minister Y Khemchand said that he has been physically inspecting PMGSY road projects in different hill districts and issuing strict instruction to officials and contractors for maintaining quality as per the project guidelines.
There are some instances of fund withdrawal without completion or execution of works and he has been doing the needful to ensure proper execution of those works, the minister said.
Reacting to Congress president MLA K Meghachandra's contention that corruption has been thriving under the BJP government, he suggested that the opposition party verify facts before levelling false charges.
All the documents of the department are in the public domain and anybody can easily access these documents, he said and added that he can provide any document the Congress leader wants.
While conceding that there are instances of fund misappropriation by some corrupt officials and contractors, he claimed that the present government is taking up every possible action against them.
Maintaining that many of the PMGSY first phase projects of 2008-09 are missing drains and they never blamed the Congress for such gross violation of project norms, Khemchand said that contractors and officials involved in corrupt activities are the ones who should be blamed.
Terming as baseless the allegation of withdrawing almost all the fund for 86 km long New Somtal to Moreh PMGSY project without proper work execution and having a balance of only Rs 10 lakh, he asked the Congress MLA to get verified documents before making allegations.
The first stage of the project was approved for earthwork, formation, cutting, culvert and retaining wall with a cost of Rs 39.8 crore in 2017-19.Around 80 per cent of the works have been completed and there is a balance of Rs 3.25 crore.
The stage 2 of the project for black-topping, was sanctioned in in 2018-19 at a cost of Rs 46.8 crore.
Around 60 per cent of the works have been completed and Rs 24 crore had been withdrawn so far.
The department finds the progress of the project and funds withdrawn proportionate, he said while offering for a joint inspection to clear the Congress president's doubts.