Irregularities under DUDA

 Recently, the nascent political party in Nagaland-Rising People’s Party (RPP)- has made serious allegations of questionable practice in the Department of Under Developed Areas (DUDA) which is tasked with development programmes in the four districts of eastern Nagaland-Mon, Tuensang, Longleng and Kiphire. Recently, Noklak became the fifth district. The RPP claimed that during 2019-20 Rs.43.83 crore was allotted by the Central government under the Under Developed Area Programme (UDAP) and Border Area Development Programme (BADP) for eastern Nagaland and other pockets. The RPP based its source of information to replies to RTI queries. It also claimed that the DUDA allegedly circulated work orders to select firms which run a syndicate. In this manner, all work orders under DUDA were distributed to the syndicate regularly each annual year, alleged RPP. Pointing out another irregularity in the case, RPP revealed that while the total work order for 2019-20 amounted to Rs.43.83 crore, the RTI reply however informed that the amount released was only Rs.32.69. This raises serious questions about something amiss in the entire matter. A huge difference of Rs.11.14 crore is not something that can be ignored. There has to be some explanation about the anomaly in the figures. The RPP also claimed that it has a whole list of work orders and names of firms who were awarded contract works even from 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2018-19. The central funding allotted to DUDA , meant for ushering development to eastern Nagaland areas is supposed to make up for alleged ‘discrimination’ in funding and projects. Therefore, if what the RPP claimed is true then this scam has reached huge proportion over the past decade. If the syndicate system is a fact then it is a scam and again if projects are either not taken up or left incomplete then all this have to be probed by the government of the day. A high level probe by a sitting judge of the high court or a police probe by a SIT monitored by the court should be obvious outcome in order to ascertain whether works have been carried out as per specifications. The people of eastern Nagaland cannot afford to ignore the allegations made by the RPP. They must take this as an opportunity to demand answers from their legislators. Even till today, many areas do not have motorable roads and are cut off during monsoon. How long can the blame go to the advanced tribes? A thorough and fair probe will unearth those responsible for the alleged scam. On the other side, an extremely inspiring example has been set in Nagaland by a prominent member of the ENPO, Rev. Chingmak who founded the Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS). Under Rev. Chingmak, the ECS has been doing yeoman services by providing free health care, training on farming, primary education etc in Tuensang district including some areas in eastern Nagaland without any government assistance. Recently, a Rs.1.2 crore 70-feet length bridge started by ECS and later helped by various agencies, was completed and inaugurated by the chief minister through virtual on November 9,2021. ECS is a fitting example that people in the area are second to none in terms of human resources. Being literate does not mean anything if those highly literates are only fit for or expect only government clerical jobs.