CHANDEL, May, 17: The Chandel Naga People’s Organization (CNPO) has sought clarification from the Central and State Govt. of Manipur on the lapse of the Border Region Grant Fund (BRGF) for the year 2012-13 with a lapse of rupees 8.4 crores
BD Betha, General Secretary CNPO, while informing this to the media here in Chandel said that BRGF has been implemented in the three districts of Manipur namely, Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong District since 2007-08. The BRGF for the FY 2008-09 meant for Chandel district lapsed in that year due to the failure on the part of the then Deputy Commissioner Chandel Th Deelip Singh, to send utilization report. Similarly, a proposal of BRGF for the FY 2012-13 was submitted to the Centre by the then Executive Director, DRDA, Hopeson Chothe however, the same proposal was said to have been rejected by the centre for reasons made unknown. In that same year Churachandpur and Tamenglong implemented the said program.
However according to a reliable source, the said proposal (2012-13) was accepted by the centre and intimation has been sent to the Planning Department Govt. of Manipur on March 28 of the current year. The total fund allocated in this program is said to be Rs. 12.90 Cr while the fund released is Rs. 4.49 Cr. In this regard it is very unfortunate that a sum of rs. 8.4 Cr has been found to be lapsed again, BD Betha said.
He went on to say that BRGF for the Year 2011 -12 has been encashed at the SBI Chandel at present. The said program was released by the Finance Section of Manipur Secretariat after a gap of more than one year, he maintained.
Taking all these into consideration, the General Secretary has come against the concerned authorities for these entire irresponsible attitude meted out towards the people of Chandel. The Secretary further questioned the authority in concern to rule out such indifferent attention given to the people of Chandel. Further stating that no development programs other than the said BRGF is being implemented in Chandel, he appealed to the state Govt of Manipur to be sincere and accountable in implementing this program effectively and in time.