BJP demands Congress to come out clean on alleged fund mismanagement in Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR: The BJP in Arunachal Pradesh today asked the Congress government to come out clean on the alleged mismanagement of central fund to a tune of Rs 3,500 crore during the financial year 2013-14.

"The state government should issue a white paper on the state's financial position and take corrective measures against 'rampant' corruption in the state," BJP state president Tai Tagak told a press conference here.

He alleged that the ruling Congress government in the state had siphoned off a huge chunk of central fund during the last fiscal without submission of utilization certificates (UCs) to the Centre.

"Because of non submission of UCs against various central funds, the Centre is not in a position to release funds to the state," Tagak said while criticising Chief Minister Nabam Tuki for alleging a few opposition parties of writing to the Centre to stop flow of central funds to the state.

"Unless the state government comes clear on judicious utilisation of funds, how it can plead for fresh fund," Tagak said and termed as 'unfortunate' the present financial crisis that hit the state which, he said, was self created by the ruling Congress government.

"We are ready to help the government if it desires so....It should convene an all-party meeting to discuss the present financial scenario and should come with clear-cut policies and programmes to prove its avowed people-centric claim," Tagak said.

Giving a chronology of fund sanctioned to the state, Tagak claimed that the Centre had sanctioned under National Health Mission (NHM) - Rs 56.2 crore in 2011-12, Rs 74.01 crore (2012-13), Rs 86.31 crore (2013-14) and Rs 181 crore during the current fiscal, but the state government failed to submit UCs to match sanction and claim next instalment.

"This cannot be construed as halt of fund flow as this is the procedure for the fund to flow for proper utilisation," Tagak said.