IMPHAL, January 24: Chairman of Chandel Autonomous District Council, Lhukhosei Lou has clarified that there is no manipulations in implementation of the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) for Chandel district.
Addressing a press meet at ADC office, 2nd MR campus today, he said that the charges which are leveled against him from certain quarters that manipulation of funds of the said scheme has been perpetrated is baseless and is an attempt to malign his reputation. Mentioning that the BRGF scheme has been taken up to address the infrastructure deficit in any part of the district, it was stated that the BRGF fund is not handled by the chairman, DRDA alone but done through a committee called District Planning Committee. The said committee consists of the Member of Parliament, Outer, MLAs, DRDA chairman, DC, SDOs/BDOs of the six blocks of the district.
“Hence neither the chairman nor any member can manipulate the allocation according to one’s fancy,” Lhukhosei said. Clarifying on the allocation a demanded by the District Vigilance Committee (DVC), he said that the BRGF annual plan for 2013-2014 was approved after sending it to the state high powered committee. It was done after examining the allocation and proposals which were found deserving. The committee further sent it to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for approval and later sent back to the State for implementation. The Chairman mentioned that as such the process, rectification of the BRGF by the DVC is illogical.
As per the guidelines of BADP, there is a blockwise allocation of funds and this has been strictly adhered to. He added that the DVC and the BJP Chandel mandal instead of joining hands in unreasonable protest and going to Delhi to ban developmental funds of the BRGF, they should appeal for sanction of more funds for the district.
Meanwhile, Chandel District JAC on Beneficiaries of BRGF,2013-14 in a press meet at Hotel Imphal also on similar views said that the BRGF funds have not been manipulated and the vice chairman of Chandel ADC and District Vigilance Committee are making false accusations. Chairman of the JAC, WL Thungam Anal said that an issue has been made needlessly and to block the BRGF funds. Questioning the motive of such a move, the JAC takes strong exception and alleges that the move is a pre-mediated political move.
The JAC will also take action if there is a lapse of funds due to the action of the DVC and appeals to the state government to release the pending funds of BRGF for the year 2013-14 in public interest.