PPA flays Arunachal's monitoring system

They termed it as an eyewash and waste of public money

The People's Party of Arunachal (PPA) today criticized the monitoring system of the state government at ground level and termed it as an eyewash and waste of public money.

"Neither the monitoring department in planning branch nor the so-called monitoring agencies has any power conferred upon them to take cognizance of omissions and commission and thereafter prosecute the guilty. What the two have in common is a set of readymade guidelines and forms to be filled and later submitted to Planning Commission," Party President Nikh Kamin said in a statement.

He further said two monitoring agencies namely NEDFI and NABCONS were "toothless tigers" and they did not have even a copy of the DPR of the projects or schemes under SPA (Special Plan Assistance) or BADP (Border Area Development Project).

He said although the system of third party monitoring earned false appreciations by the leaders and officials in the office of Planning Commission, the system had brought in a readymade and stereotype culture of malpractices and misappropriation of public money.

Kamin further said that if PPA gained power, it would do away with the two MoAs signed with NABCONS and NEDFI and empower the state's monitoring cell with quasi judicial status to try and prosecute the erring officials.

He said that his party would not only put BADP and SPA schemes but would also include Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources, North East Council and TFC schemes under the ambit of the third party monitoring.