Forged CDA is no scandal, says Biswajit
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 07 2018: Works Minister and Government spokesman Th Biswajit has asserted that the withdrawal of funds using forged CDAs is not a scandal but disappearance of huge amounts of money from MDS is a scandal.

Speaking to media persons this evening, Biswajit said that as the Government sensed something amiss, the Chief Minister issued an instruction on March 27 whereby drawal of funds using CDAs was prohibited.

Even as a criminal attempt to malign the Government's image in pursuit of his own personal interest was on, an FIR was registered and the individual was pulled up and investigation has been going on, Biswajit said.

This is not a scandal.

The scandal is the disappearance of a huge amount deposited at MDS for several development projects, he asserted.

Flatly rejecting the Congress party's allegation that around Rs 30 crore has been withdrawn using forged CDAs and dismissing the rival party's claim that it is the biggest scandal in the State, the Works Minister contended that the amounts allocated against the forged CDAs was a little over Rs 7 crore which included Rs 24.37 lakh in Imphal East division, Rs 76,55,531 in Ukhrul division, Rs 4,63,18,385 in Sadar Hills division and Rs 92,59,214 in National Highway Division.

There is no bigger scandal than the scandal of swindling over Rs 200 crore from MDS, he said.

There is no harm in constituting a committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly but such committees are usually constituted when the House session is on.

It appears that the Congress party made the particular demand without proper knowledge of what they were saying, Biswajit remarked.

The Government has taken up necessary measures to get back all the money transferred to contractors' accounts and avoid such frauds in future, said the Works Minister.

Assuring that not a single rupee would be lost, Biswajit said that befitting action would be taken up against the individual who attempted to defame the Government.

On the Congress party's demand for setting up an enquiry committee, Biswajit said that there is no need for any enquiry committee as investigation is already going on in a very transparent manner.

On the allegation that Finance Department released CDA in spite of exhaustion of fund with regard to Works Department, Biswajit said that the final CDA allocation was issued only after confirming the actual balance available under the relevant head of account.

Reacting to the allegation that pension and salary payment is not being cleared, Biswajit said that only few departments have so far presented salary bills for March to the treasuries.

This is a regular feature every year, being the first month of a new financial year; besides departments have to take necessary clearances of post extension of temporary posts before presentation of salary bills to the treasuries, Biswajit added.

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