Staff Reporter
Guwahati: The Under Secretary in the state Home and Political Department recently wrote to the Director General of Police (DGP), Assam, and the Joint Secretary in the Social Justice and Empowerment Department, stating that a letter from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) acknowledged the receipt of a complaint letter from Diganta Saikia of the Amguri Nabanirman Samitee (ANS). The ANS' letter to the PM dated November 6, 2024, alleged that rampant embezzlement of funds in the Social Welfare department in Assam had been taken place and sought an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the alleged corruption and punishment of those found guilty.
In the November 2024 letter to the PMO, there was also a reference to an earlier letter on May 31, 2023, wherein the ANS stated that despite directions from the PMO to take steps against the alleged corruption in the Social Welfare department, the state government was not taking any initiative in that regard. The ANS had requested the Prime Minister to order a probe by the ED and the seizure of movable and immovable property of the officials and suppliers found guilty of corruption.
The Under Secretary's letter stated that the complaint letter from the ANS regarding the alleged corruption had been forwarded to Dispur by the PMO and directed the DGP to examine the matter and take appropriate legal steps, with an intimation to the Home department and petitioner Diganta Saikia.
The ANS had moved the Prime Minister with the demand for an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement of funds in the state Social Welfare Department from 2009-10 to 2018-19, with crores of rupees meant for children embezzled. Saikia also sent a copy of the complaint to the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development.
ANS president Diganta Saikia said at the time, "The allocated funds were embezzled in the name of various activities, including procurement of goods, by showing inflated prices, much higher than market rates. Colour pencils sold all over India at Rs 20 per set, including all taxes, were shown as procured at Rs 62 per set, including all taxes. This is 210 per cent more than the market price. Likewise, the lowest approved rates of colour pencils and wax crayons were found to be abnormally higher than the prevailing and current market rates. All these anomalies were reflected in the reports of the CAG in successive years."
Saikia also stated that, in a PIL (68/2021) filed in the Gauhati High Court in this regard, the HC noted that since the allegations of embezzlement are based primarily on the CAG report, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Assam Legislative Assembly ought to have a look at the matter so that necessary remedial action can be taken by the competent authority in case of any illegality found. After the directive from the HC, the Department of Social Welfare submitted the CAG reports and the audit report to the PAC. However, Saikia complained that they had not received any reply from the PAC until then.
With the state government failing to take necessary action in the alleged scam, the ANS again shot off a letter to the PM, resulting in the recent direction to the DGP and Joint Secretary in the Social Justice and Empowerment department on the matter.
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