IT News
Imphal, May 19:
The Engineering Wing, Education (S) has issued a clarification regarding the news item published in Imphal Times on May 17, 2024 under the heading “State Education Department’s Engineering Wing owes Rs. 11.36 Crore in unpaid VAT and Agency charges”
In their clarification, signed by Sanatomba S, Chief Finance Officer, H.O.O., and D.D.O., it is stated that the “department had already deposited Rs. 1.96 crore, which was part of the VAT out of a total of Rs. 4.30 crore.” It also clarified that “the Engineering Wing, Education (S) Department had already deposited the said amount of Rs. 9.02 crore in April 2021 via challan no. 30.” However, the clarification did not mention anything about the penalty liable for the delay in payment.
Additionally, the statement addressed the “non-deposition of Rs. 2.34 crore as VAT deposit. In response to this statement, the amount of Rs. 2.34 crore is in the process of being deposited to the Government account.” The delay is attributed to a “Vigilance case concerning the deposit work, where the Cash Book and other relevant documents were handed over to the Vigilance Department. For these reasons, the Engineering Wing, Education (S) Department was unable to decide on depositing the remaining amount.”
The statement reiterated that “despite all this, the Engineering Wing, Education (S) Department will deposit the remaining amount once the issues are sorted out. In view of the above clarification, there is no question of misappropriation of Government funds.”
However, the question arises as to why the department did not provide this information when it was sought through an RTI by the Imphal Times.
