Manipur govt is swindling development fund, alleges BJP

Newmai News Network IMPHAL, February 4 Manipur BJP today alleged that most of the money given by the Centre for development projects in the state has been pocketed by the Congress government headed by Okram Ibobi Singh. At a press meet at party office, state BJP president Th Chaoba strongly slammed Chief Minister Ibobi and Deputy CM for telling the people that the flagship rural job scheme MGNREGA was implementing in Manipur successfully. Chaoba stated that ministers and officials from the Centre are regularly visiting the North East to review all ongoing development projects in the region. He claimed that a huge chunk of the fund for these projects has been swindled. “All projects in Manipur have been turned into a lucrative business by the men in power in the state,” he alleged. He alleged that ministers and MLAs in cahoots with the related members of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), Gram Sabha and Adhyakshas have been stealing fund meant for MGNREA scheme. The Manipur CM yesterday during a political conference held here said the scheme was implementing in the state properly. Chaoba said the state government does not allow the exact number of work days under MGNREA scheme. The state BJP chief demanded the Ibobi government to come out with a white paper on all Centrally-funded schemes and projects taken up in Manipur. He said ministers and MLAs with the help of the concerned DCs are deducting 25 percent of the fund for the Line Department in the last one decade. He said, “Such a thing is not happening in other parts of the country. Detailing on the Food Security Act, Chaoba said 70 percent of the expenditure for implementing the Act will be provided by the Centre while the 30 percent by the state government. The state government has already announced that the Act will be implemented in Manipur by April this year. “The Ibobi government is still unable to provide its share and so implementation of the Act is being delayed in Manipur,” he said. Party general secretary M Ashnikumar Singh said Rs 106 crore was sanctioned and given to the state by the Ministry of Rural Roads Development Agency on January 15 but the Ibobi government has failed to deposit the amount to the account of the state agency. Ashnikumar demanded a white paper on all projects sponsored by the Centre for sectors like education, health and water supply taken up in the last 14 years by the state government and said the Centre has been providing crores of rupees for development of the state.