Imphal: The Manipur Congress has launched an attack on the BJP government and Chief Minister N Biren Singh over the alleged misappropriation of funds amounting to around Rs 1,700 crore meant for road constructions in the four hill districts of the state under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president K. Meghachandra on Saturday alleged that even after knowing the huge amount under PMGSY has been siphoned off, no action has been taken up till now by Chief Minister N Biren Sigh even though he promised to make the state corruption free.
In Manipur, the Programme Implementation Units (PIUs) of the Rural Road Engineering Department under the Rural Development and Panchayati (RD & PR) Department is the implementing agency of the PMGSY scheme.
K Meghachandra, who is an MLA from the Wangkhem assembly constituency, told reporters in Imphal that RD & PR Minister Yumnam Khemchand had turned down the requests for a joint inspection of the sites where works were not completed but withdrawn money.
“On March 31, 2020, Rs. 8.29 cr was withdrawn for PMGSY work in package Number MN03101 (Galkapkot to Gamhui Part 2) and Package Number MN03102 (Galkapkot to Gamhui Part 3) under Thanlon Block of the Manipur’s Churachandpur District,” he said.
But when Congress party leaders inspected the areas, it was found that the construction works of the road were not completed, Meghachandra said.
The Gangte Tribe Council, Manipur had also verified withdrawing the huge amount of money without constructing the roads, the MPCC president alleged.
He further alleged that his party had earlier inspected the 17.5 Km long Noney to Nungdang section of the road and they found that bills amounting to Rs. 14.44 cr. have been withdrawn without completing the construction works of the road.
Charging that a huge amount of money was withdrawn for the construction of roads in various places of Chandel, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, and Tamenglong districts but no visible roads were found in these districts, the Congress leader expressed his fear that a third package under the PMGSY has been sanctioned.