Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 29 2009:
Due to official anomalies and mal-practices by other people, there is a strong likelihood of misusing or misappropriating BRGF fund amounting to Rs 11.25 crores sanctioned for Tamenglong district for the 2008-09 fiscal.
According to a reliable source, an amount of Rs 11.25 crores was sanctioned for Tamenglong district under Back-ward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) on July 25 last year.
The fund was meant to construct IVRs, bridges, girls' hostel, toilet complexes and community halls in the district.
Even as the sanction order was issued in July 2008, the fund could not be utilised due to several irregularities and impediments.
As per the official guidelines, works taken up under BRGF should be entrusted to village chairmen appointed under the Manipur Hill Areas Village Authority Act 1955.For works of estimated amount Rs one lakh or more, rate quotations etc should be invited and the works should be allotted after conducting open tender.
But, the DC and MLAs of Tamenglong district, saying that armed groups have been piling pressure on them, have started issuing work orders for works costing below Rs one lakh after constituting village development councils.
There is also strong suspicion whether the DC in connivance with the MLAs have issued work orders without conducting open tender for constructing of IVR from Charinapang to Jiri via Makru (estimated amount Rs 30 lakhs), IVR from Takao to Lenglong under Tamei (estimated amount Rs 20 lakhs), IVR from New Keiphundai to Rani Colony (estimated amount Rs 28 lakhs), girls' hostel at(estimated amount Rs 30 lakhs), girls' hostel at Tamei Hqs (estimated amount Rs 35 lakhs), disclosed the source.
Sanction orders for Chandel and Churachandpur districts for BRGF fund of 2008-09 fiscal were issued together with the sanction order of Tamenglong district.
The aggregate amount of BRGF fund sanctioned for the three districts was Rs 34.66 crores.
This included Rs 11.17 crores for Chandel district and Rs 12.24 crores for Churachandpur district.
For Chandel and Churachandpur districts, the works were entrusted to village chairmen in line with the guidelines, added the source.