Relief funds siphoned: Pul

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Itagar, April 6: In a startling revelation, expelled Congress MLA Kalikho Pul today alleged embezzlement of central fund to the tune of Rs 299.32 crore by the Aruchal Pradesh government under relief and rehabilitation programme in the past four years. Presenting official records obtained through RTI documents, the former Fince Minister alleged that the state government had received an amount of Rs 519.13 crore from the Centre under tiol Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) since 2011-12 till 2014-2015, out of which an amount of Rs 292.32 crore have been siphoned off. “The state government has been fooling the innocent people by deliberately misleading them about the actual fincial position of the state by presenting fictitious and delusive picture besides playing political game of concealment,” the MLA from Hayuliang told reporters here.

He said during 2011-12, the Centre had allocated fund to the tune of 34.72 crore under SDRF, during 2012-13 an amount of 100.44 crore under NDRF and 34.46 crore under SDRF, in 2013-14 an amount of 140.46 crore under NDRF and 39.29 crore under SDRF was released while, during 2014-15 an amount of Rs 125.96 crore was release under NDRF and 42.20 crore under SDRF respectively.

“The state government needs to come clean and explain to the people where the remaining amount received from the Centre have been spent with district wise and project wise details of the works,” he demanded. He further alleged that whatever amount was spent was not based on need basis and there exist no fixed criteria or modalities for distribution of funds to the disaster prone districts. Presenting documental evidences, he alleged that the state government preferred least disaster-prone districts at the cost of the most affected ones from the required funding for relief and rehabilitation programme.

“In a democracy, the state government is answerable to the people on utilization of public fund,” he said adding, he would appraise the matter to the Centre and would organise a Press Conference in the tiol capital soon.

Responding to a question why he had not raised the issue before his expulsion, Pul said that on several occasions he raised the issue in CLP meeting and even in floor of the Assembly.

“I was dropped from the ministry on December 24 last and subsequently expelled from the party because of mu outspoken ture which might hurt some of the senior party leaders including Chief Minister bam Tuki,” he emphatically said.

Pul, one of the senior most MLAs in the state representing Hayuliang constituency since 1995, was expelled from the Congress on April 1 last for alleged anti-party activities. On April 2, he called a press conference here and highlighted fincial magement of the state government. On April 4 last, state government spokesman Bamang Felix during a press conference clarified all the charges of Pul and admitted that the state was facing an accumulated deficit of Rs 4486.74 crore in the last ten years.