Row over NE appointments

IMPHAL, July 19: The Opposition today rapped rural development and panchayati raj minister N Bihari Singh for alleged illegal appointments in his department. Opposition leaders O Joy Singh, Rishang Keishing and Nimaichand Luwang accused the minister of violating the ban on recruitment imposed by the state government. Discussing the rural development and panchayat department's demands today in the Assembly, former Congress Chief Minister Rishang Keishing alleged that the department was not able to acquire funds allocated by the Centre over the past two years. Terming the minister as inefficient, Keishing said it was unfortunate that the department could not even collect its full share of funds from the Centre for various project. Manipur People's Party (MPP) chief O Joy Singh said the department had advertised for the post of one section officer, two clerks and two progress assistants last year. However, the MPP leader said the department has recruited 21 section officers, 26 clerks and 22 progress assistants, violating government norms. Nemaichand Luwang of Congress charged the minister with interfering in the functioning of the district rural development agency (DRDA) in Thoubal district. Luwang said 16 people have been appointed in Thoubal without proper sanction. Of these, five have already been promoted, he added. Luwang said the DRDA governing in Thoubal comprising ministers and legislators, has stayed the appointment of 16 people after detecting irregularities. However, the minister has ordered the DRDA, Thoubal to start paying salaries to the six employees, he said. Rural development and panchayati raj minister N. Bihari Singh, however, defended his move. He said the money involved in paying salaries to the newly-recruited employees came from the Centre and not from the state Budget. Despite the allegations, Singh justified the appointments, saying he had not violated rules. The minister said the recruitment was ordered after many rural development department employees were deputed to the zilla parishad and the blocks. He said the ad hoc recruitments had been made to replace those employees who had gone on deputation.