AGARTALA, October 18 (TIWN): Tripura has been claiming to have been awarded by the Centre as Number 1 state in implementing various centrally sponsored funds properly. But under PMGSY sector Tripura was warned during the its ' Friend UPA Govt's tenure. However, as expected no reply was given from the state in this regard. On 17th February 2014 a letter was sent to Chief Secretary S K Panda by L C Goyal , Secretary of Government of India , Ministry of Rural Development. In this letter vide D.O.No.P-17025/55/2013-RC L C Goyal( Despatch no 8322, date 17/2) alleged high rate of unsatisfactory grading given by National Quality Monitors(NQMs) regarding the ongoing and completed construction of roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram in Sadak Yojana(PMGSY).

Union Secretary L C Goyal mentioned following points in his letter to Chief Secretary S K Panda:

1)" ... this Ministry has undertaken a special drive by delegating our National Quality Monitors(NQMs) to inspect both ongoing and completed roads constructed under PMGSY in your state during the month of December 2013 . The reports of such NQM visits in your state show that out of 17 road inspections carried out in respect of ongoing works, 7 works have been found ' Unsatisfactory' which is 41%. The high rate of unsatisfactory grading by NQMs shows that the State urgebtky needs to strengthen its supervising capacity to undertake the quality inspection of works through adequate number of SQMs... ... "

2)  " I would like to bring to your notice that the high rate of unsatisfactory works has been viewed very seriously in the Ministry and we would find it difficult to provide funding for the new works if the state does not quickly improve the quality of ongoing works. I shall be grateful if you could give appropriate directions to the Department concerned to take immediate action for improving the quality of road works under PMGSY under intimation to us. "

     In Dhalai District the NQM visited 5 works and 4 was found unsatisfactory while in North Tripura the NQM visited 3 ongoing works and all 3 were rated as unsatisfactory( respectively 80% and 100%). Mysteriously S K Panda did not give any reply to the Centre on this issue. On 23rd April 2014 Director, Ministry of Rural Development , Deott. Of Rural Development , Govt of India P. Manoj Kumar sent another letter to Shri G Kameswara Rao , Addl Chief-Secretary(Public Works Department), Govt of Tripura under same D.O.No.P-17025/55/2013-RC stating :-

" In this regard the Action Taken Report(ATR) is still awaited from your state . I would request you to inform the specific action taken for improving the quality of road works under PMGSY. " From this letter it is obvious that the then Chief Secretary S K Panda's main intention was to suppress the truth regarding on going corruption and poor quality of road construction under PMGSY. 

A top level official in the state govt told TIWN on Saturday," It is well known fact that S.K.Panda had enjoyed close relation and blessings of Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and CPIM Party and in return Mr Panda chose to remain silent on all ongoing corruptions during his term as Chief  Secretary. The scams that have taken place during the term when S K Panda was Chief Secretary could easily exceed more than Rs 500 crore. Only if the Centre orders CBI investigation, Special Audit on all centrally sponsored funds allocated to Tripura during the last 10-15 years , the amount may even cross beyond Rs 1000 crore."    

Picture : Union Rural Development Secretary N.C.Goyal's letter to Chief Secretary S.K.Panda

Picture : File Photo of former Chief Secretary S.K.Panda in a shooting range in ONGC, Agartala