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Massive corruption under MNF: Manmohan

Sushanta Talukdar

Aizawl: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday repeatedly referred to the alleged corruption, financial mismanagement and poor performance on the part of the Mizo National Front (MNF) government in his campaign in the northeastern State, which is going to the polls on December 2.

“Corruption under the MNF government has reached epidemic proportions,” he said addressing a rally on the Assam Rifles ground here on his maiden visit to Mizoram as Prime Minister. The State government had failed to implement the flagship programmes and schemes of the United Progressive Alliance government.

“You must have heard about the misuse of huge funds given to meet the menace of bamboo flowering. We had given more than Rs. 125 crore. What happened to all this money? Do you really want a government that is unaccountable and tainted? The Congress party does not believe in blame game, but the facts are there for you to see.”

It was time for the people of Mizoram to bring about a change, through the ballot, in this situation and their lives, Dr. Singh said.

He promised them that the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and a Congress government in Mizoram would together ensure that the Centre’s flagship programmes were properly implemented. “We will ensure that there is no corruption and that the benefits of development reach you in full.”

Dr. Singh said he was an MP from the northeast and considered himself “an adopted son of the region.”

The crowd shouted Dr. Manmohan Singh Dam Reng Rawh Se [Long live Dr. Manmohan Singh] and Pu Lalthanhawla Dam Reng Rawh Se [Long Live Mr. Lalthanhawla] when Dr. Singh and the PCC president and Congress chief ministerial candidate arrived at the ground.

Reading out his prepared speech, Dr. Singh said: “There are allegations of irregularities by the State government machinery even in programmes for the poor, like NREGS and the loan waiver scheme. Funds meant for tribal welfare have been squandered. There is financial mismanagement in Centre-sponsored projects like the Turial Hydel project, the Referral Hospital and the Aizawl Water Supply Scheme.”

The Congress, if voted to power, would once again implement the New Land Use policy which the MNF government discontinued, he promised.

Dr. Singh pointed out that the 12-MW Serlui ‘B’ project was still incomplete. Its cost tripled over the last 18 years it had been under execution. “This is regrettable. We got Japanese aid for 60-MW Turial Hydel project. It is badly delayed. In fact, the work has been at a standstill for the last 4-5 years.”

The Prime Minister said the MNF government had not submitted the requisite proposals under the Horticulture Mission, though a vast potential for horticulture existed in the State. The UPA government had so far given Rs. 117 crore to Mizoram under the National Rural Health Mission.

However, the MNF government spent only Rs. 69 crore. The pace of execution of works under Bharat Nirman was also extremely slow, he alleged.

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