Nagaland organisation repeats call for probe into alleged scams

DIMAPUR — The All India Anti Corruption Organisation (AIACO) Nagaland State unit has once again cited instances of misappropriation, losses, and thefts uncovered by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India in more than 20 state departments, and called for a thorough investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.

In a lengthy statement issued on Wednesday, the organisation cited some of those departments: Food and Civil Supplies; School Education; Disaster Management; Public Works Department (R&B and Mechanical); Taxes; Water Resources; Planning and Coordination; Health and Family Welfare; Planning and Coordination; Tourism; Public Health Engineering; Soil and Water Conservation; Industries and Commerce; Land Records and Survey; Municipal Affairs; Rural Development; Forest and Climate Change, etc.

It also claimed that funds meant for PMAY-G—essentially guaranteeing “housing for all by 2022”—have been “totally mis-utilised”, which needs to be urgently addressed as “no amount was given to the beneficiaries under PMAY-G.”

“In this connection, AIACO had appealed to the chief minister to immediately ‘institute a special Investigation Team (SIT) within 30 days to uncover the facts of the financial scam and to nail the erring officials’. However, no action was initiated from the state government till date.

“Despite repeated requests has been put forward for a thorough investigation to oversee that the PMAY G scheme are effectively implemented as per government of India guidelines for the welfare of the rural poor,” it stated.

Again citing the CAG report, the organisation reminded that during fiscal year 2021-22, a total of 61 grants involving INR 81.80 crore were provided to 16 departments for which utilisation certificates (UCs) were due for submission during the year 2022-23.

“As on March 2022, there were 149 UCs worth INR 316.34 crore, which were due for submission for periods pertaining up to 2023,” it stated.

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