'Embezzlement' of dairy farming fund
CM assures departmental enquiry, befitting action
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 27 2023: A departmental enquiry will be conducted to investigate the alleged embezzlement of funds worth crores released by the Centre for dairy farmers, said Chief Minister N Biren Singh on the floor of the State Assembly today.

As the House discussed a demand for grant pertaining to Veterinary & Animal Husbandry Including Dairy Farming, it was alleged that the Managing Director of the Manipur Milk Union had embezzled funds worth Rs 18 crore between 2018 and 2022 .

Replying to a policy cut motion raised by MLA K Ranjit, Chief Minister N Biren Singh said funds were released by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) for schemes related to dairy farming of which Manipur Milk Producers Cooperative Union Ltd also known as Manipur Milk Union (MMU) is the implementing agency.

'Embezzlement' of dairy farming fund : CM assures

The MMU has its own Board of Directors with an officer of the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department as the Managing Director.

The union is also a registered body under the Cooperation Department.

As an allegation has been raised accusing the Managing Director of the MMU of embezzling funds released by the NDDB, a departmental enquiry will be initiated to investigate the matter.

All involved in embezzlement of the funds will not be spared, said CM N Biren.

Meanwhile, a financial audit of the MMU prepared by a Chartered Accountant has been completed and the Cooperation Department has also compiled the annual audit report.

These reports will also be studied, he said.

N Biren also informed that two officers from the Centre are here to streamline the operations of the MMU.

Meanwhile, raising the policy cut motion, MLA K Ranjit said, it has been alleged that during 2018 to 2022, the Managing Director of the Manipur Milk Union (MMU) had embezzled Rs 18 crore released by the NDDB.

While all transactions should be done by the Managing Director and the Chairman as signatories, the transaction, however, was allegedly done by the Managing Director alone, K Ranjit said.

Interestingly, the appointment of the officer of the Veterinary Department as the Managing Director of MMU was against the Board of Directors of the union and also the Cooperation Department, he added.

Earlier, when a starred question was raised in the House on February 3, a reply was given then.

However, it was found that the reports submitted were the annual account statement of the MMU and not the audit report, said K Ranjit.

On the Chief Minister's proposal to order a departmental enquiry into the allegation, K Ranjit asserted that it may proved to be a futile step.

"How will the thieves catch the thieves," he said, proposing constitution of a House Committee instead of the departmental enquiry.

Meanwhile, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister Khashim Vashum said that the post of the MMU's Managing Director was found vacant when he took charge of the department.

When steps were taken up to fill the vacancy, a conflict had emerged among the Board of Directors.

Further, the Managing Director simply implements the decisions made by the board and he functions only as a signatory, Khashim Vashum said.

In December last year, the Central Government had sent a report to the State Government informing that the MMU was not functioning effectively.

Urging the House to defer forming a House Committee, the Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister said the allegation of fund embezzlement will be probed through a departmental enquiry and the finding will be tabled within a month.

Later, when the demand for grant was about to be passed, MLA K Ranjit again demanded constitution of a House committee and said, the policy cut motion will not be withdrawn until the committee is constituted.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh then produced some documents for MLA K Ranjit's perusal.

After listening to both sides, the Speaker then appealed to the House to approve the proposed departmental enquiry under the condition that it would file its reports/findings within a month's time.

Replying to MLA K Ranjit while the discussion the demand for grant pertaining to Medical Health and Family Welfare Services, Health Minister Dr Sapam Ranjan said Shija Hospital has a common bio-medical waste management plant.Bio-medical waste generated at district Hospitals, all healthcare centres including private healthcare providers are brought to the plant.

Also, RIMS and JNIMS have their own in-house incineration plants to dispose of bio-medical waste, he said.

On the other hand, the rules allow health centres in remote and far flung areas to deep-bury the medical waste, he added.

Construction of six effluent plants has been completed out of a total 68 .

He also said that the Government takes food safety issues very seriously and as such random sampling from roadside/street food stalls are done regularly.

Replying to a query raised by MLA K Meghachandra, Dr S Ranjan said the dental chairs at JNIMS were procured through e-marketplace.

The warranty period is not over yet, he said adding he will be visiting and inspecting the matter.

On the doctors' agitation, CM N Biren said that the Government had already stated its stand on the agitation launched by the All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association.

Action will be taken up against the agitators as they are carrying on the strike even though know fully well that they are engaged in essential services.

Health centres will be opened and doctors from private hospitals and other sources will be engaged by giving daily wage, he said.