CAG report nails Veterinary Dept for mismanagement & misappropriation
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 29 2015 :
The report of the Controller and Auditor General (CAG) of India ending March, 31, 2014 was placed in the state Assembly on Monday.
It has nothing good to say about the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services, Manipur.
It noted with concern that the alarming decline in the population of the Manipuri pony which is not found anywhere in the world.
This breed is closely associated with polo which was originated from the tiny kingdom of Manipur.
The CAG report said that the population of pony in the state was 1037 in 2007.But the population had declined to "less than 500" in 2014.There is now a high risk of extinction of this breed, the report noted.
Inspite of this the department had "neither formulated a specific policy for its conversation and development nor taken advantage of the government of India initiatives for conservation of various threatened breeds of livestock".
The "mismanagement and misappropriation" in the department affected procurement, storage and distribution of medicines and vaccines, feeds for the livestock.
The report also said that no documents were produced regarding rural backyard poultry and as such "there is a possibility that Rs 30 lakh earmarked for the purpose had been misappropriated".
Besides the department got Rs 43.34 lakh as royalty from milk and milk products during July 2010 to March 2014 though the receivable royalty was Rs 129 lakh during the period.
The department failed to utilise vaccines and appliances worth Rs 136.72 lakh procured during 2012-13 and left the same unused and by now their time expired.