IMPHAL, February 19: Series of malpractices have been alleged while implementing 165 numbers of Minor Irrigation Schemes for three fiscal years approved by Work Advisory Board and Ministry of Water Resource, Government of India under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP).
In this regard, two separate complaints had been lodged with the Chief Secretary of Manipur to conduct a probe, by a social worker, S Washington of Kasom Khulen, Ukhrul district.
According to the first complaint, the Government of India Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure released an amount of Rs. 17.27 crores for completion of 165 schemes for Manipur State under AIBP. The fund was reportedly released on November 13, 2013 for the fiscal year 2013-14.
It alleged that of the approved work list of 165 scheme serious fraud was detected while implementation and in the mode payment of bills.
In some cases, there was no trace of any work execution. However the allocated amount was allegedly withdrawn.
Meanwhile, in the wake of Government initiative for taking up 99 new schemes under the same funding agency for the fiscal year of 2013-14 a serious flow was found in the work list prepared by the Minor Irrigation Department, Manipur, it claimed.
It pointed out that the department has re-included places where work was left undone during the year 2010-11, 2013-14, putting areas of places with slight changes of names and unspecific places of names etc were also found.
It may be noted that with regards to the 99 new schemes a written petition was also earlier submitted to the Chief Secretary of Manipur to recheck the list prepared by the MI department, a person from Chandel district namely, SK Joseph Lamkang. The individual identified himself as a social worker.