BJP alleges project anomalies, demands CBI probe
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 18 2013 : Referring to comment in a local daily about the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh charging some of his ministerial colleagues of depleting the State exchequer crores of rupees, the BJP Ma-nipur Pradesh today demanded a CBI inquiry on the matter.

Speaking to mediapersons at the Nityaipat Chuthek office of State unit BJP this afternoon, party spokesperson Y Nilamani Singh said that if the newspaper report of the CM accusing some in his council of Ministers of deducting 10 to 51 percent from the department-wise allocations is in fact true then the Minister(s) concerned should be dropped and CBI probe initiated against them.

Insisting that in the 12 years of Congress rule no sig-nificant development work to ameliorate suffering of the common public, particularly the economically deprived section of the society, had been implemented, Nilamani asserted that many Central-sponsored projects remaining incomplete testify failure of the Congress Government to judiciously implement development works.

Listing city Convention Centre, Inter State Bus Terminus and 50-bedded hospital in Senapati district as some of the projects that either remain incomplete or yet to be- gin operation/function to substantiate allegations of incom- petency, he further maintained that protracted delays besetting sewerage project and controversies surrounding Thoubal and Wangjing market complexes are clear indi- cation of anomalies in work allocation and implementation.

Demanding that the Government share details on the estimated as well as revised amounts for these projects to the common public, Nilamani said apart from depriving the citizens potential benefits of various schemes the public have been suffering from lack of potable water, compelled to endure poorly maintained roads, experience power supply for no more than three hours a day and wade through inundated streets as almost all the drains are clogged.

Noting UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi announcing Rs 75 crore special package for construction of a women's market, the BJP spokesperson observed that the general public deserve an explanation from the CM on how and where the financial assistance has been utilised, if any.

Contrary to claiming that projects under various departments are entrusted to firms/agencies based outside the State in reality contractors and suppliers are close relatives of Ministers, he conten- ded and pointed to the ongoing Rs 424 crore floating bio- mass clearance work at Lok-tak Lake by K Pro Pvt Ltd.

Stating that the work agency involved in the Loktak Lake clean-up project has already exhausted the project fund while the assigned task remains disappointing, he strongly deplored continuous defiance by the Congress Government from different quarters that the CBI investigate all controversial projects.

The BJP functionary also questioned on what ground the CM approved school uniform supply order under SSA amounting to Rs 7.38 crore to a Bangalore firm even though the latter's proposal had no specification such as date of intimation.

Applauding health and GAD Minister for declaring that open tender would be floated in view of the impro-vement in the law and order situation, he suggested that including departments under the CM's fold Ministers concerned float open tender for any development projects in order to maintain transparency.

Calling upon the Assembly's Estimate Committee to remain proactive for ensuring judicious implementation of projects meant for the masses, Nilamani opined that failure on the part of the monitoring panel would only embolden those at the helm of affairs to loot public money.

When even service of CBI sleuths could be roped in to probe against the Prime Minister in connection with the 'coal-gate' scam, there is no justification in the Government of Manipur, especially Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to repeatedly turn down demands for CBI investigation into various controversy-hit projects, affirmed the BJP spokesperson who wryly remarked that inspite of being in the third term of rule, the Congress Government might not be able to point out even a year's achievement.

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