GUWAHATI: As Manipur is going through a precarious financial situation, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has wrested the portfolios of finance and public works from two senior Cabinet colleagues even as the state government constituted a committee to probe withdrawal of huge amounts by the two departments in recent times
Deputy Chief Minister Y Joykumar Singh held the finance portfolio while Thongam Biswajit Singh was the minister for public works. The decision to strip the two ministers of the portfolios comes amidst reports of a rebellion brewing against the CM in his BJP.
Manipur is facing overdraft of over Rs.300 crore and the RBI has stopped honouring government bills and cheques since Wednesday.
The state Cabinet met on Wednesday and authorised the CM to take all necessary disciplinary actions in order to imbibe a culture of financial prudence and propriety in key departments.
“As an interim measure, the CM has vested the charge of departments of finance (including taxation and excise), public works and power with himself,” an official release said.
It said a thorough investigation into sanction procedures and financial management would be conducted for all key departments.
The government constituted a three-member committee comprising senior bureaucrats to examine the details of huge funds withdrawn in recent months.
“It was noted that huge amounts were withdrawn by public works and power departments during March-May, 2019 when model code of conduct was in force. A three-member committee has been constituted to examine the details of funds withdrawn and the purposes for which they were intended. The committee will also examine large withdrawals by other departments,” another official release said.
In a notification issued on Wednesday, the government banned all forms of recruitment, including regular posts, with immediate effect. It has not been able to pay salaries and honorariums to certain sections of employees including Village Defence Force.