Arunachal Pradesh Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing has asserted that he would check the misuse of funds in the two Departments mired in controversy over financial irregularities and make both of them the best in the State.
Mr. Tasing, a first-time Minister, thanked Chief Minister Pema Khandu for entrusting him with the task of handling the two key Departments. The BJP leader said he will first find out the problems in the Departments.
“I will soon call a meeting of officials to review the pros and cons in the Departments and work accordingly with set goals,” Mr. Tasing said.
The Rural Development Department has been mired in controversy for long with allegations of mismanagement of funds while executing schemes such as MGNREGA, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana (Rural).
Allegations of siphoning off funds to the tune of ₹571 crore also surfaced in the Panchayati Raj Department in recent times. The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) has claimed that it came to know via RTI that the funds were meant for panchayat bodies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It will be an acid test for me to streamline the Departments and to bring back their glory. I will work with utmost sincerity and will perform the task assigned to me by the Chief Minister,” Mr. Tasing told PTI. He said he would ensure that there is no corruption in the Departments he is heading.
"I will work hard to streamline both the Departments with new ideas and put in place certain mechanisms to check misuse of funds. Moreover, I will try to sort out the problems faced by the Departments so that it runs smoothly," Mr. Tasing said.
He said that he will work towards a ‘Viksit Arunachal’ (developed Arunachal) with a focus on the principles of Speed, Scale, Scope and Standards as set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“At the first Cabinet meeting held soon after swearing in of the new Council of Ministers on June 13, a target of 100 days was set to carry out developmental activities in several sectors,” he said.
“We will concentrate on the target set by the Cabinet to fulfil the aspirations of the people,” the Minister added. The BJP returned to power in Arunachal Pradesh for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly.
Published - June 20, 2024 11:35 am IST
