Kohima: Despite being a resource-crunch state, misappropriation of Rs 207 crore was found in various departments of Nagaland government in financial year 2019-20, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has said. The report, tabled in the assembly by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday, said that 26 cases of misappropriation of funds were found.
It said that Rs 200.65 crore was siphoned off in 12 departments and Rs 6.6 crore in other departments. A total of Rs 82.79 crore was embezzled in the Department of School Education in two cases, with Rs 70 crore awaiting departmental and criminal investigation. An amount of Rs 25.28 crore siphoned off in the Power Department awaits departmental and criminal investigation.
The CAG report said that three misappropriation cases amounting to Rs 23.79 crore were found in the Public Works Department (Road & Bridges) Department. Other departments that reported major misappropriation are Planning and Coordination (Rs 20.23 crore), Tourism (Rs 14.20 crore) and Health & Family Welfare (Rs 13.70 crore). The CAG asked the departments concerned to furnish a suo motu explanatory note on the audit reports within one month of placing of the report in the assembly.
It asked the government, without waiting for any notice or call from the Public Accounts Committee, to submit a suo motu explanatory note indicating the action taken or proposed to be taken within a period of three months from the date of tabling of the audit report.
PTI
