AIZAWL, Nov 29 - The CAG of India has slammed the Mizoram Government for wasting Rs 1 crore on a non-utilised food testing laboratory (FTL). According to the CAG report tabled recently in the Mizoram Assembly, the Mizoram Government submitted a proposal to the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry in January, 2010 for setting up a food testing laboratory at the Mizoram-Myanmar border trade centre, Zokhawthar, at an estimated cost of Rs 13.13 crore.
The site of the laboratory was later shifted to Thenzawl and an expenditure of Rs 1 crore was incurred by the Commerce and Industries Department (Commerce Wing) during 2010-11 for its establishment at Thenzawl.
Out of the amount of Rs 1 crore sanctioned for construction of the building and office, the Department utilised the entire fund for construction of a one-storeyed laboratory building, four staff quarters, overground and underground water reservoir, guard room and brick wall fencing of the campus, the CAG report said.
The Government later shifted the FTL to the building of the Central Medical Store (CMS), Zemabawk, Aizawl, which started functioning from September 2018.
The auditors pointed out that the expenditure of Rs 1 crore, which was incurred on the construction of the FTL building at Thenzawl, was infructuous and it led to the creation of an asset which has been lying idle for more than three years.
