ITANAGAR, Mar 13: The Green Arunachal Foundation (GAF) has alleged state government of mismanaging the fund to the tune of Rs 60 crore under the department of Disaster Management.
The Government of India sanctioned Rs 60 crores to the Disaster Management department for relief and rehabilitation purposes for the financial year 2017-18.
“Instead of using the sanctioned amount, the department has siphoned the said allocated fund to working departments without the approval of the State Executive Committee headed by the Chief Secretary as its Chairman”, the GAF alleged.
It went on to claim that the Disaster Management authorities carried out the distribution of the fund to working departments without formulating any detail project proposals.
“The funds have been released to the deputy commissioners on mere file noting with initiation from the directors through the secretaries of the concerned ministers, thus bypassing the office of the chief secretary. Legally, it is mandatory to acknowledge the chief secretary’s office for utilisation of funds under the Disaster Management Act”, the GAF added.
It said that releasing funds to various working departments through the deputy commissioners tends to violate the Disaster Management Guidelines and Financial Rules.
Further, the GAF alleged that majority of fund has been diverted to selected districts of Tawang, West Kameng and Namsai. And these districts are represented by the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister.
The GAF also claimed that it has filed a complaint in this regard addressed to the office of the Chief Secretary-cum-Chief Vigilance Officer and the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) on 15th December, 2017.
The SIC forwarded the letter to the Under Secretary, Vigilance on the 19th of December, 2017. However, the GAF alleged that vigilance office is yet to respond to their complaint letter.
