NPF Legislature Party seeks white paper on Covid fund receipts and expenditure from govt

KOHIMA:  The Naga People’s Front Legislature Party (NPFLP) has demanded the setting up of an inquiry committee comprising members from all political parties to probe into the detailed financial management with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NPF has questioned the Neiphiu Rio led Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party State Government and demanded an immediate clarification with detailed replies for the larger interest of the public, after the Health & Family Welfare Department issued a clarification on the mobilization of funds for COVID-19 on Tuesday.

The opposition party NPF's demands include a detailed White Paper on all the funds received and expenditures incurred thereof from 2020-21 to 2021-2022 along with all relevant methodology of grants, processes or procurement, disbursement criteria etc be published in the interest of the public.

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NPF said that the Finance Department clarification shows that additional funds provided to the Health & Family Welfare Department is Rs. 71.18 crores during 2020-21. Alleging that rural areas have been neglected systematically, the NPF enquired about the level of preparedness and management of infrastructure like District Hospital, CHCs, PHCs and Sub-centres in rural areas.

The party also mentioned that the criteria of funds allocated to all the respective DDMAs, the Expenditure of the Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) for COVID activities being Rs. 61.60 crore during 2020-21.

NPF also asked, referring to CM Rio's statement, how and why the State Government has granted Rs 30 crore to the private hospital named CIHSR when state is at a financial stretch. It further queried if the government is going to provide free COVID treatment at the private hospital.

Apart from these, NPF had also taken the state government at gunpoint and asked the Finance Department to explain how the BSL labs in Dimapur and Kohima, Oxygen Plants in Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung, etc have been set up under which funds, on what basis temporarily appointed doctors were given separate remunerations etc.

The NPF has also accused the Finance Department's clarification of producing a hasty document to confuse people and that receipts have been mixed up with expenditure, while receipts in most cases have not been mentioned.

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