GUWAHATI, March 17 � The State Government today admitted that large scale corruption and financial irregularities took place in Mising Autonomous Council and announced its decision to entrust the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the matter.
Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the decision of the Government to go for a CBI probe into the financial irregularities of the Council in the State Assembly in response to a Zero Hour notice by Rajiv Lochan Pegu (Cong).
The Minister in charge of Welfare of Plains Tribes and Backward Classes, Pramila Rani Brahma admitted that large scale irregularities took place in the Council and there have been instances when the Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Executive Members (EMs) took out money from the Council by giving receipts on blank papers in clear violation of financial rules.
Brahma said that the irregularities forced the Government to dissolve the Council and the Northern Assam Division Commissioner has been asked to take over powers. She revealed that on receipt of complaints of financial irregularities, the Government first asked the Deputy Commissioner, Dhemaji to investigate the matter. But as the DC could only submit a report regarding the irregularities in one district, the Northern Assam Divisional Commissioner was asked to conduct a thorough probe.
The Minister informed the House that the irregularities committed by the Council came to light during the course of investigation. Citing some examples of irregularities, she said that there was one such instance when the then CEM of the Council, Parameshwar Chayengiya withdrew an amount of Rs 67 lakh only by giving a receipt on his pad, while, several other EMs withdrew lakhs of rupees from the coffers of the Council with personal receipts in clear violation of regulations and no one knows where the money was spent. She informed the House that one Milon Doley, who runs an NGO, was given Rs 43 lakh and Rs 24 lakh on two occasions while, a self-help group received Rs 54 lakh. It is still not clear as to why such payments were made, she admitted.
Referring to the arrest of the Principal Secretary of the Council, Gargaram Pegu in Mangaldoi on March 8, the Minister said that a case under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was registered against the officer and the State Home Department was probing the incident.
Earlier, raising the issue during Zero Hour, Rajiv Lochan Pegu expressed serious concern over the large scale financial irregularities in the Mising Autonomous Council and demanded that the CBI should be entrusted with the responsibility of investigating the same.
Pegu said that the Government created the autonomous councils for the uplift of the down trodden sections of the society, but unfortunately, the common people did not receive the fruits of development because of corruption and financial irregularities. He referred to documents where lakhs of rupees were with withdrawn from the coffers of the Council by the EMs by giving receipts on plain papers and said that the Government should issue strict financial guidelines to all the autonomous councils.
Bhuban Pegu (Ind) also demanded a CBI probe into the corruption and misuse of funds in the Council since its formation in 1995.
