Reacting to the charges made by the Nagaland Public Rights Awareness and Action Forum, the state finance department on Thursday sought to make clarifications “to put the matter into the correct perspective.”
In a press note, the department maintained that it was not deemed necessary for the department to “capture all details of the schemes in the drawal authorities” as long as it was understood from which source the fund was coming and for what purpose it was being released. All such information, the department said were contained in the files of the departments, which were returned to them after issue of drawal authorities.
The process of issue of drawal authorities, it said was for the sole purpose of placing the funds at the disposal of the concerned department for implementation of the programme. In case of any doubt, the finance department said the details should be ascertained from the responsible department that maintained all records. Requisite details of the works, the department said were always furnished by the department at the time of submitting bills to the treasuries/AG’s office for actual payments. Further, asserting that it stood by its earlier clarification, the department stated that releases of funds were based on sanctions from the concerned ministry. It said that those copies were available in the department and interested parties could obtain the same, if so required, through laid down procedures of the government.
Finance department also maintained that it cannot be held at fault for not providing non-existent facts “for the satisfaction of those who have misconceptions,” nor revise or customize established procedures for the satisfaction of NGOs.
Meanwhile, the department stated that the clarifications were being made again so as to dispel all doubts to the extent possible and in deference to the concerns raised. With this, the department expressed hope that the issue of double drawal would be put to rest. The finance department stated that it would not be issuing further clarifications in this matter in the public domain.