IT News
Imphal, March 21:
In what appears to be one of the most glaring instances of corruption in the state, a steel-structured main gate at the Mega Food Park in Yaithibi Khunou, Thoubal District, Manipur, has reportedly been built at an exorbitant cost of Rs. 23,98,823. Experts analyzing the gate’s photograph estimate that its actual construction cost should not exceed Rs. 3 lakh, raising serious concerns about the misappropriation of public funds.
The Mega Food Park initiative is part of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries. The ministry has approved 41 Mega Food Park projects, of which 24 are operational, while 17 are still under implementation.
The total project cost approved by the ministry for the Mega Food Park at Yaithibi Khunou is Rs. 81.83 crore, with Rs. 17.48 crore already released and fully utilized. However, massive irregularities in infrastructure costs, particularly the inflated cost of the main gate, have raised serious concerns about financial mismanagement and corruption within the project.
According to official records, the work order for the construction of the main gate was issued on March 2, 2021, to a contractor, S.N. Panvei, by the then Managing Director of Manipur Food Industries Corporation Limited (MFICL). The glaring discrepancy between the estimated and actual costs has sparked outrage among stakeholders and the general public.
MFICL had proposed the establishment of a Mega Food Park with core processing facilities, factory buildings for micro and small enterprises (MSEs), basic infrastructure, and non-core infrastructure. This plan aligned with the guidelines of the Mega Food Parks Scheme (MFPS) and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI), Government of India.
To facilitate the project, MFICL acquired 51.11 acres of land at Yaithibi Khunou, Thoubal District. Additionally, Global AgriSystems Pvt. Ltd., a private firm based in New Delhi, was hired as a consultant at a fee of Rs. 90 lakh. A Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) was signed between MFICL and Global AgriSystems Pvt. Ltd. on January 4, 2020, for project establishment.
As per the agreement, Global AgriSystems Pvt. Ltd. was responsible for detailed engineering, including designing, drawings, and cost estimates. The firm was also tasked with item-wise quantity estimation (BOQ), bid document preparation, bid process management, and assisting MFICL in selecting and appointing consultants, contractors, and equipment suppliers. Additionally, the company was responsible for overseeing project execution to ensure timely implementation as per the approved schedule.
Given the evidence of financial mismanagement, legal action must be taken against any officials or contractors found guilty of misusing public funds. Authorities must conduct a thorough investigation to ensure accountability and hold those responsible for this alleged financial malpractice to account. Furthermore, the government must implement stringent transparency measures in future infrastructure projects to prevent corruption and ensure efficient utilization of public resources.
