Rio highlights matters of importance to DoNER minister

Dimapur, Sep. 25 (EMN): Nagaland chief minister, Neiphiu Rio, has highlighted matters of importance to the union minister of Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region (DoNER), G Kishan Reddy, during his visit to the state on September 24.

Rio informed that the North East Council (NEC) had sanctioned the project for setting up Dr. T Ao Regional Football Academy in Dimapur during the financial Year 2017-18 under HRD&E sector and while conveying the approval the Project Implementation Committee (PIC) had mentioned that the matter was subjected to technical vetting by the ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, government of India.

However, on account of the delay in receipt of technical vetting report from the ministry, Rio stated that the NEC gave a closure order on “‘as is where is basis” whereby the government of Nagaland was asked to refund the first instalment of INR 250 lakh along with accrued bank interest. In the meantime, Rio added that the government of Nagaland had already awarded the work and the physical works proportionate to the amount sanctioned for the first instalment had already been done. On taking up the matter in the NEC meeting, Rio stated that the project has been retained by the NEC.

As the government of Nagaland has retained the priority list, Rio urged the minister to provide funding for the project on an urgent basis.

On the development works at Kohima Orphanage and Destitute Home, where about a hundred children live in very challenging and underprivileged conditions, Rio stated that the NEC had sanctioned and approved a project under the nomenclature “Infrastructure Development at Kohima Orphanage Home” in 2017-18 and released the first instalment towards the project. He added that the Nagaland government had also released the state’s share to ensure smooth implementation of the project. As per the reports, 30 percent of the project has been completed.

However, in May 2020 the NEC had declared the project closed on “as is where is” and asked the state government to refund the fund with accrued interest. As the matter seemed to have been handled in a very insensitive manner with little regard for the welfare of the unfortunate orphans and underprivileged children, Rio has urged to restore the project in order to complete at the earliest.

Rio also stated that NEC had approved the project for setting up of 855 kw Off-grid solar power plants in 55 government office buildings in Nagaland for gap funding at an estimated cost of INR 661.39 lakh with 90:10 funding pattern vide letter No. NEC/RRE/612/NAG/2016-17/5828 dated April 19, 2017.

He informed that the 1^st and 2^nd instalment of NEC’s share amounting INR 400 lakh was released during 2017-18 and the corresponding state share amounting INR 44.44 lakh was also released during that year, thus total fund released for the gap funding of the project came to INR 444.44 lakh.

While the project has been completed in all respects, Rio however stated that the final instalment of NEC’s share amounting INR 192.25 lakh was still pending for release, which is a committed liability. He, therefore, requested the union minister to look into the case favourably and consider for release of the final instalment as the project has been completed.