IMPHAL, Nov 2: The department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry has been charged of rampant corruption. Several financial irregularities have been detected in the process of various projects and schemes, promotion and illegal transfer of funds, misappropriation etc.
The Governor of the State has been approached with the complaint along with statistical data and with reference to the official reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
The complainant namely, S Bino Devi of Haoreibi Mayai Leikai has submitted the complaint today.
The copy of the complaint has also been submitted to the Chief Minister, minister Govindas who is in charge of the said department and chief secretary O Nabakishore.
It was prayed by the complainant that the above initiate immediate action for initiating a suo- moto enquiry under a high powered committee to re-verify the irregularities of funds misappropriation, illegal transfer of funds to personal accounts, irregular payment of pension/salary, irregular appointment by promotion of officers etc and to book the guilty officers as per the law.
The complaint mentions that the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of 2015 have highlighted “Irregular maintenance of cash book`™ by the DDO of the Veterinary directorate by erasing and overwriting of the entries made in the cash book from the year 2011 which ultimately leads to misappropriation of public money as erasing and overwriting on an entry made in the cash book is strictly prohibited as per rule 77 of CTR. On further queries, it is learnt that Dr. H. Chaoba was functioning as DDO of the directorate for the period from 20/12/2011 vide Govt order No.9/3/2011-Vety (Dept) dated 20/12/2011.
The complaint also further mentioned that the CAG report has highlighted that the Department drew Rs. 47.32 lakhs in March 2013 and Feb. 2014 for payment of honorarium of 756 officials for conducting the 19th livestock census which is conducted every 5 years. Instead of disbursement of the withdrawn amount to the concerned officials, the amount was transferred to the bank account of the deputy director (Statistics) of the directorate namely O Debola Devi.
Further mentioning about the financial irregularities during the year 2012-13, it said vaccines and appliances worth Rs 136.72 lakhs (Rs 65.87 lakhs for 17 general medicines and 70.88 lakhs for 52 generic medicine and appliances) were procured, but none of the medicine procured were distributed to the veterinary institutions as per records of the stock register and by which openly states the fund misappropriation. During the year 2012-13, vaccines and appliances worth Rs 280.52 lakhs were procured, however, 44 items worth Rs 83.73 lakhs was not distributed.
There was further granting of ACP scheme to 170 employees of the department using non-existing ACP office memorandum with the approval of the Govt, inclusion of 4 un-recommended officers in the promotion of grade III officers, payment of higher scale of grade III to 6 demoted officers, irregularities of funds amounting to Rs 50.14 lakhs for the year 2012-13 for taking up Integrated Poultry Development Programme under the RBPFS scheme, however a sizeable amount of chicks and poultry ration was not supplied amounting to 23.60 lakhs.
So, in the regard, the complainant sought inquiry be taken up in the appeal to the Governor requesting for action to the matters mentioned above.