MPCC chief alleges PMGSY scam, demands probe
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 22 2022:
While terming the withdrawal of more than Rs 300 crore sanctioned for PMGSY projects without executing any work in Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong districts as a big 'scam', Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K Meghachandra has said that officials involved in the scam should not be left scotfree and investigation of the case must be handed over to a national investigating agency.
Addressing media persons � at Congress Bhawan here on Thursday, Meghachandra said that the withdrawal of over Rs 300 crore PMGSY fund without taking up any work since year 2018 is a serious issue and the matter must be investigated by a central agency.
He said that projects under PMGSY Phase I & II in Churachandpur district started jn 2017-18 and works for the projects spanning a total of 411.75km road were to be taken up in three Programme Implementation Units (PIUs) .
As per updated report, only 33.7km road is being taken up while the total sanctioned amount was Rs 27026.9 lakh.
In PIU-I, Tipaimukh road to Chongjin spanning 75km under Henglep TD block in Churachandpur district was taken up but office record mentioned that only 8.7km road has been completed while Rs 17 crore was withdrawn for the project, Meghachandra said and asked as to when the project will be completed.
Asking as to why the Central government schemes are not properly executed in the hill districts, the MPCC president said that Rs 13 lakh had been withdrawn for 26km long Sam-bung to Saikom road without executing any work while more than Rs 15 crore had been withdrawn for 60km long Khanpui to Mongtha road after executing only 9.5km road.
Under PIU-II, an 18km stretch road from Suyaso along Guite Road to Tonglon under Singhat TD block of Churachandpur was to be developed but Rs 4.75 crore had been withdrawn and the contractor gone missing, Meghachandra said and asked if fund for the project could be withdrawn without executing any work and why should not officials concerned be responsible for the fraudulent withdrawal.
Work on a total road length of 111.1km was to be taken up under PIU-II in Churachandpur but only 1.5km road has been executed till date and an amount of Rs 29.86 crore withdrawn by different contractors for around 10 different works.
Out of 92.12km road length to be taken up under PIU-III in Churachandpur district, only 6.2km road has been completed till date though Rs 15.23 crore had been withdrawn for five different works under this phase, Meghachandra alleged.
According to K Meghachandra, there is report of execution of only 1.5km out of 15km long Longoi-Galon road taken up under PIU-I in Tamenglong division but Rs 5.69 crore had been withdrawn for the project.
A total road length of 191km is to be taken up under PIU-I in Tamenglong division but only 49km road had been completed though expended around Rs 56 crore.
Under PIU-II in Tamenglong division, a total road length of 252.2km is to be taken up but only 141.37km had been completed.
Under PIU-III Tamenglong division, a total road length of 104.4km is to be taken up but only 29.42km has been completed though Rs 27262.12 lakh is said to have been spent, he said, adding that Rs 8499.48 lakh has been sanctioned for 156km long road under PIU-III in Chandel district.
While stating that officials of the department seem to lack responsibility, the MPCC president stressed the need for conducting a thorough investigation on how officials of the department cleared the work bills without executing any works.
He then suggested formation of a joint team possibly a central agency to investigate the 'scam' as the minister holding PMGSY portfolio is a new one.
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