IT News
Imphal, Aug 24:
Tribal Affairs and Hill Minister, Vungzagin Valte was cornered today during a starred question related to details of funds released of 50 departments under Tribal Affairs and Hills. MLA Alfred Kanngam Arthur alleged that proposals of budgets are exceptionally high however actual expenditures are abysmally low for the hills.
MLA Alfred Kanngam Arthur points out the irrational budget proposal and actual expenditure vis a vis the hills citing the instance of Environment and Forest budget 2017-18 where a mere 19 crore out of earmarked 40.85 crores was spent in the hills whereas 70.90 crore which was even beyond the earmarked 66 crores was spent in the valley. He questions the rationality of such lopsided expenses of the department as 90 percent of the forest is in the hills.
The MLA informed that according to the latest financial report, all the departments in the hills have spent only less than 50 per cent of the budget on the actual expenditure. “We are not here to mislead the house or the people in the state. Some people are debating that our own tribal leaders are stealing and should therefore be blamed. We are not thieves, we have not come here to steal and It is never in our intention to disintegrate the state” he clarified citing the official document.
He informed the house that in the year 2017-18, a mere 108 crore was spent in the hills through the department of Tribal Affairs and Hills against total spending of 5,000 crores. Likewise in the year 2018-19, 150 crores was spent in the hills against an actual expenditure of 4900. And in the year 2019-20, 120 crores was spent in the hills against the actual expenditure of 5000 crores. In the year 2020-21 only 41 crores were spent in the hills against an actual expenditure of 7000 crores.
“90 percent of the size of the state is allocated these amounts and we are blamed!” he sighed and questioned if the Hill Minister had brought it up in the cabinet regarding the actual expenditure in the hills against the budget that is sanctioned every year, as demand for grants clearly states hill and valley break up. Emotional integration has to go hand in hand with sustainable and consistent economic growth, he remarked.
He asked the Hill Minister if such concerns about the inability to the utilization of total funds were ever raised in the cabinet and whether he ever consulted the Hill Area Committee as specified in the rule regarding developmental programmes before the formulation of the budgets. He also asked if he has any such intention to discuss the same with the Hill Areas Committee in the future.
The Hill Minister responded that the department has 32 crores of unspent budgets at present. According to him, the respective Ministers are responsible for their respective departments’ performance. He said he has not come across any such discussions and stated, “How can I discussed if it is not on the agenda?” apparently unaware of his powers. The Speaker of the house intervened to suggest a meeting of the two parties to solve the miscommunication.
