The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has alleged that an amount of Rs 800 crore have been misappropriated under the Public Works Department. It urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up a suo-motu case and investigate the case in the interest of the public.
During a press conference held at Congress Bhawan, BT Road on Tuesday, MPCC working president K Meghachandra alleged that the present government has failed to take up developmental works marked for this financial year before the imposition of the election Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The MPCC president said MCC came into execution in the state from January 8. However, works to be done under plan money worth Rs 500 crore and non-plan money costing Rs 300 crore approved by the department has not been taken up yet. The total amount was earmarked during the Manipur Assembly session with an objective to bring developmental infrastructure in all the constituencies of the state, Meghachandra said.
The finance department also claimed that not a single penny is left for both plan and non-plan money while trying to get the expenditure sanction, the MPCC President said, adding thay it is highly questionable as to where all the amount has gone. With the imposition of MCC, departmental enquiry or independent judicial inquiry or any agency can’t conduct investigation for the said ‘financial scam’. In the interest of general public, CBI should take up suo-motu about the misuse of large amount of fund, he suggested.
Meghachandra also pointed that the PWD department couldn’t clear the liability for the last two years except some people who are close to the ruling party and that work orders in the previous one year weren’t issued either.
Regarding the money released under the mentioned approved money, he said Rs 40 crore each was sanctioned for both hill and valley to bring development in all the constituencies of the state. But after investigation, it had come to the notice that the entire amount sanctioned for valley had been used in repairing of airport.
“Diverting whole money only in one project is a violation of Manipur Legislative Assembly decision. I think focusing on just one project would not be accepted by public as well,” he stated while assuring to people of the state that the Congress party will surely bring back equal development once the party come into power after forthcoming election.
The present government is not parallel with their words and action, Meghachandra said, adding that they couldn’t bring any development despite their claimed made in many public functions. Not only this, they announced law and order has improved yet on contrary, the state continues to be declared as disturbed area, he added and questioned for how long the government will continue to cheat people with all such false propaganda.
Mentioning that the party had filed a complaint to election commission of India in connection with issuing of order even after imposition of MCC, he alleged that the party came to know from reliable source that the government had issued order of converting some aided college as full-fledged government college and some private college to upgrade as aided college by manipulating the date (dateback) even after implementation of MCC. This means the government continues to collect money from some teachers, he stated while appealing to the ECI to draw attention in this regard and make conduct ensuing general election free and fair.
Responding to query by media regarding decreasing Congress MLA to 13 from 28, he said that some has been disqualified while some had left the party. The MPCC doesn’t mind in this as it is a trend of politic and occurs in every political party. Even if they left the party, there are many who wish to join their party, Meghachandra said.
