IT News
Imphal, Feb 22:
Following an assurance given by the fisheries department that the department will deposit the misappropriation amount of Rs. 16.73 lakhs to the government account, Imphal Times filed an RTI application with the department to know whether the department has deposited the amount or not.
As per information given by the Director of the Fisheries Department, the department has not deposited the said amount till today and also fails to give reasons for not depositing the said amount.
In his RTI reply, the director stated that “During the tenure of H. Biramani Singh, Addl. Director (DDO)/Director-in-Charge withdrew the said amount. Further, he stated that “as per Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department, Manipur letter No. 6(10)2018-V&ACPS/403 dated October 21, 2020, during the course of investigation of FIR No. 6(10)2018-V&ACPS u/s 420/468/471/120-B IPC and 13(2) r/w 13(1)(c) of PC Act, 1988, H. Biramani Singh has been found to have misappropriated the said amount of Rs. 16.73 lakh.”
During the scrutiny of records of the Directorate of Fisheries for the period from April 2016 to July 2018, it was revealed that 14 work orders costing 58.90 lakh were sanctioned and issued for different works for the construction of ponds, reservoirs, training halls, etc. The works were supposed to be executed during the period from January 20, 2016 to August 12, 2018 and to be completed within one to 10 months. ( As per clause 11 of the work orders, payments were to be released only on completion of works as per specifications, without any consideration for an extension of the time allowed in the work orders. ( In violation of rules and existing instructions of the Finance Department, the entire amount of Rs. 58.90 lakh was withdrawn against 14 works from the Imphal Treasury in advance of the actual requirement and deposited into DDO’s account on March 31, 2018, to avoid a lapse of funds, while not a single work that had commenced was completed.
( Further, it was found that the Director, Department of Fisheries, withdrew Rs 26.64 lakh out of Rs. 58.90 lakh, Rs. 16.73 lakh for two works, and Rs. 9.91 lakh for four works from the same DDO’s accounts against six works on April 12, 2018 in violation of the Finance Department Order issued via Memo No. 9/2/2007-FR (Misc) dated March 13, 2008. ( It was also further noticed that Rs. 16.73 lakh was shown to have been paid in cash on April 12, 2018, against two works. viz., (i) providing the IEI and ceiling of the training hall at the directorate, and (ii) construction of a water reservoir tank at the directorate of Fisheries, Lamphel, though these works were still incomplete. ( Moreover, there was no evidentiary proof of actual payment in the form of a payment order or APR for verification. In the absence of any evidence, the payment as shown in the cash book for work was doubtful. The remaining funds amounting to Rs. 9.91 lakh, drawn for the other four works, were deposited back into the government accounts under Major Head 8449 on April 12, 2018 itself.( The Fisheries Department stated that Rs. 26.64 lakh was drawn against six incomplete works through oversight without a pay order and proper verification. While Rs. 9.91 lakh was already deposited into government accounts, the balance of Rs. 16.73 lakh will be deposited back into the DDO’s account.
Despite the assurance of the department, Rs. 16.73 lakhs have not been deposited into the government account. It is time for the Chief Minister to act. The Chief Minister’s campaign against corruption ought to be demonstrated by deeds rather than just words.
