Over Rs 300 Cr misappropriated, alleges MPCC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 22 2022: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has alleged that PMGSY funds amounting to over Rs 300 crore sanctioned for construction of roads in Churachandpur, Tamenglong and Chandel districts have been misappropriated without executing any work.

Speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan here today, MPCC president K Meghachandra said that the huge amount was withdrawn against PMGSY 2017-18 works sanctioned for the three districts after the works were executed just for name's sake.

He demanded that the NIA should be roped in to investigate the scam.

In Churachandpur district, total roads of 411.75 Kms should be constructed but only 33.7 Kms were constructed.

The total sanctioned amount for these works were Rs 26026.9 lakh but Rs 8945.18 lakh had been withdrawn, Meghachandra said.

Under the Churachandpur Programme Implementation Unit (PIU)-I, 208.5 Kms of roads should be constructed within Henglep TD Block but only 26 Kms were constructed although Rs 4434.37 lakh was withdrawn.

Again, one Km was constructed out of the 12 Kms long road from Tiddim Road to Lhangjang.

In the name of constructing this 12 Kms long road, Rs 205.43 lakh was withdrawn, the MPCC president alleged.

Further, Rs 13.32 lakh was withdrawn against the work of constructing the 26 Kms long road from Sanbang to Saikom without ever executing any portion of the work, he said.

Altogether 111.1 Kms of roads should be constructed in Churachandpur, Thanlon and Singnat TD Blocks under PIU-II but a huge amount of Rs 2987.19 lakh had been withdrawn after constructing just 1.5 Km of road.

Under PIU-III, 92.15 Kms of roads should be constructed in Singnat, Samulamlan and Thanlon TD Blocks but again Rs 1523.62 lakh had been withdrawn after constructing just 6.2 Kms, Meghachandra said.

Altogether 548.2 Kms of roads should be constructed in Tamenglong district under three PIUs.

However, only 220.29 Kms had been constructed although Rs 13,797.15 lakh had been withdrawn.

Likewise, huge amounts of PMGSY funds had been withdrawn in Chandel district too without executing most of the works, he said.

Asserting that the huge amounts were looted by contractors in collusion with officials concerned, the MPCC president asked the State Government to hand over the scam to the NIA for a thorough investigation.

The State Government would not be able to either submit utilisation certificates as the funds were withdrawn without executing works or recover the amounts thus looted, he decried.

He then asked what was the National Quality Monitor doing all these days when huge amounts of PMGSY funds were withdrawn fraudulently.

He also questioned the silence of ADC Members, concerned MLAs and Ministers.

Meghachandra asserted that the Anti-Corruption Cell should take up a suo moto case and make a thorough enquiry.

He further urged the Government to constitute a high power committee and institute an enquiry against officials concerned starting from SOs to the Chief Engineer.

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