Manipur Tribal Body Demands Swift Action in Rs 30.36 Crore Welfare Fund Scam

Imphal: The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), General Headquarters, has called on the State Government, the House Committee, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to expedite their probe into the alleged mismanagement and misuse of Rs 30.36 crore in the Tribal Affairs & Hills (TA&H) Department, Manipur.

In a statement issued by TYCM, the organization urged the authorities to take swift and appropriate legal action based on the investigation findings and ensure the recovery of the misappropriated amount from the officials involved.

According to official documents, five former officials of the TA&H Department, K. Daimei, Z. Solomon, Binodini Devi, Pheijao Singh, and N. Kaikho Mao, who served as Joint Directors/DDOs, are allegedly involved in the mismanagement of welfare funds amounting to Rs 30.36 crore.

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“Welfare funds are public money meant for the development of society. The misuse or mismanagement of Rs 30.36 crore from the departmental program funds constitutes a clear act of fraud, embezzlement, and misappropriation of public resources,” the statement said.

TYCM emphasized that it is closely monitoring the case in pursuit of justice and accountability. “As rightful stakeholders, the tribal people of Manipur have the right to know the truth and demand accountability for the mismanagement of welfare funds,” the statement further noted.

The organization pointed out that such misuse of public funds has resulted in the loss of development opportunities for the tribal communities of Manipur. It urged the State Government to ensure transparency and accountability in the utilization of public funds to prevent such incidents in the future.

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The SIT was constituted to investigate the alleged irregularities, but TYCM has expressed concerns over delays in the probe. It has called for immediate action to bring those responsible to justice and to restore faith in the governance and administration of tribal welfare schemes.

The TA&H Department is responsible for implementing welfare programs aimed at improving the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities in Manipur. Allegations of fund mismanagement have sparked outrage among tribal organizations and civil society groups demanding stringent measures against corruption in welfare schemes.

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