Against the backdrop of serious alleged irregularities under various government departments which have been highlighted through various reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in Nagaland, the state government is obligated to make public the facts. One of the most glaring instances as per the CAG report tabled in the recently concluded budget session of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly pertained to non-submission of Utilization Certificates (UCs) where the figure cited was 225 cases as on March 2018 involving projects estimated at Rs. 865.30 crore. The state government may have its side of the story and so it requires two sides to tell a story. However, there is no denying the fact that over the decades, the irregularities and various allegations of corruption continue to play on. These issues would have been discussed in depth on the floor of the house during sessions with the objective analysis and suitable recommendations for effecting good governance. Such CAG reports tabled in the house are important subjects which should be accorded due importance. If there is no accountability then the very focus of service to the people lose its meaning. Also, if there arises any attempt to brush them under the carpet with comparisons of past irregularities, then this is what has been evident- that no one takes such reports seriously anymore. It is laudable that Nagaland has its own Lokayutka and perhaps such issues could also come under scanner. Recently,the state governor has urged the state chief secretary to register cases against three officials of a particular department who had earlier been served with show cause notices for alleged irregularities. As per the letter to the chief secretary from the Raj Bhavan secretariat, the Governor had taken cognisance of the show cause notices and deemed it appropriate for the government to file corruption cases against the erring officials. The message being sent by the Governor is clear- that corruption will no longer be tolerated and that it is no longer business as usual. Since the Governor, has drawn his attention on the matter, it is also hoped he will seek appropriate response from his government over various allegations. The business of looting, cheating and defrauding within the government system has to be cleansed as the scourge of corruption has degraded and devastated the state. On the issue of government spending for development projects, there is also a need to review what is needed and not what politicians want. The state today is in financial crisis with an estimated deficit of Rs. 2358.81 crore by the end of the current 2020-21 financial year. How the government plans to make up the deficit is for the planners to address. Every political party that comes to power has one agenda- only to spend in the name of development but sadly, vital infrastructures such as road, power, water, agriculture, health and education services etc. remain as dismal. The culture of making money by looting , appointing near and dear ones or supporters to government posts through backdoor or to bring projects to one’s own constituency, despite being unviable, have to be curbed. That is one reason why the entire state continues to suffer since justice has been given the goby due to political pressures. If the people and their leaders want genuine economic development, then they must get rid of the khushi-khushi syndrome, once and for all.
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