Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 29:
Forest and Environment Minister Ngamthang Haokip has denied misappropriation and diversion of Rs 6.40 crores while he was in charge of Tribal Development Department.
Reacting to news reports appeared in some section of the State dailies on October 24, the Minister while addressing to media persons at his office today, clarified that the said amount was lying with the Finance Department as unspent balance of TD Department and was released for utilization on request.
Out of the total amount, Rs 3,12,84,000 had spent judiciously while another Rs 3,06,44,000 is still in the account of the Department and would be released at the completion of the pending works.
According to the Minister, the respective amount and the purposes on which Rs 3,12,84,000 had been spent are on buying GCI sheets (Rs 27 lakhs), on paying salaries of staff of Manipur Tribal Development Corporation (Rs 52 lakhs), construction of office for TD, Senapati District (Rs 4 lakhs), on distribution of patromax, sports materials etc to all the district headquarters on the occasion of Independence Day celebration (Rs 6 lakhs), for development of agriculture and horticulture in hill districts (Rs 30 lakhs), Animal husbandry development programme (Rs 20 lakhs), relief materials to hill districts (Rs 20 lakhs), distribution of Sports materials to youth club (Rs 18 lakhs), wheel chairs to physically handicapped persons belonging to ST and other medical assistance (Rs 20 lakhs), special development programme for Maram Primitive Tribe (Rs 18 lakhs), development of Small Scale Industries in six hill districts (Rs 37 lakhs), on taking up water supply schemes (Rs 37 lakhs).
Apart from this, the Minister informed, an amount of Rs 26 lakhs earmarked for Tribal Research Institute cum Museum had been released.
Out of the released amount, Rs 16 lakh was spent on clearing the committed liabilities of the Institute and another Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakhs respective as financial assistance in organising Lui Ngaini and KUT festival.
Moreover, an amount of Rs 84,000 out of the total remaining amount was used in clearing the liabilities for the Manipur festival held organised at Kolkatta, the Minister informed.