Japan aid drive under scanner
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 02 2011:
A huge amount of money from the arrears of the teachers and other employees working under Zonal Education Officer, Zone-I of School Education Department have been found deducted on the sly in connection with providing donation to the people of the earthquake hit Japan.
The matter came to light after the State Vigilance Commission investigated into the complaint of deducting a huge amount of money from the arrears of the teachers and the employees under ZEO Zone-I .
Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, a highly placed source said that a total amount of Rs 10,29,18,279 meant for payment of arrears to 1051 teachers and other employees under the said ZEO Zone-I for the period from April last year to February this year had been sanctioned/released in April this year.
During the course of the investigation, the Vigilance Commission founded that ZEO Gopimohan Maibam, DI of Schools Kh Yaima (DDO), Cashier L Shantibala and Accountant L Mohan used five bills to ensure passing of the amount by the Treasury.
From the bills passed by the Treasury, these officials created a separate Credit Advance Account and deducted not just 1.3 percent from the total arrear amount of the teachers but also Rs 100 from each of them, and from the Grade-IV employees Rs 50 each were deducted, thus the total amount deducted was Rs 14,15,100 .
On further investigation to ascertain why the amount had been deducted, officials of ZEO Zone-I came up with the explanation that it was meant for donation to the earthquake hit Japanese and a sum of Rs 1.5 lakhs have been given through Indo-Japan Friendship Association in this regard.
Interestingly, the Vigilance Commission could not find any order that had been issued from the side of the Government or any other competent authority for deducting money from the arrears of the teachers or employees for donation to earthquake hit people of Japan.
Accordingly, the Vigilance Commission has recommended to the Department concerned for depositing the deducted amount in the respective accounts of the teachers/employees of the Zone.