IT News
Imphal, May 17:
The Engineering Wing of the State Education (S) Department has yet to pay Rs. 11.36 crore in VAT to the state government, a matter that surfaced following an RTI query by Imphal Times journalist Khumanthem Dhanachandra. The journalist, who faced threats from armed assailants on the evening of May 9, uncovered significant financial discrepancies within the department.
Khumanthem Dhanachandra, representing Imphal Times, filed two RTIs seeking explanations for the non-deposition of Rs. 11.36 crore to the government account by the Engineering Wing. One RTI focused on the non-deposit of a deducted VAT amounting to Rs. 2.34 crore, while the other sought details about the non-deposit of agency charges totalling Rs. 9.02 crore.
Between September 2013 and March 2018, the Engineering Wing received Rs. 90.09 crore from the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Manipur, for various development projects. This amount included 5.6 percent VAT, totaling Rs. 4.30 crore, and agency charges of 11.75 percent, amounting to Rs. 9.02 crore, which was supposed to be deposited into the Manipur government account. However, out of the Rs. 4.30 crore in deducted VAT, only Rs. 1.96 crore was deposited, and there is no record of the Rs. 9.02 crore in agency charges being deposited.
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According to the Government of Manipur notification no. 5/45/2006-FD (TAX) dated September 3, 2009, any delay in depositing the tax within the prescribed period incurs a penalty not exceeding double the unpaid tax. Consequently, the Engineering Wing is liable for an additional penalty of Rs. 8.6 crore due to the failure to deposit the deducted VAT amount of Rs. 2.34 crore, resulting in a significant loss of revenue for the government.
In their RTI response dated May 7, 2024, the Engineering Wing acknowledged the delay and identified N. Suranjan Singh, MFS, as the DDO responsible, with G.A. Jaichandra Sharma serving as the Chief Engineer during that period. Despite admitting to not taking any action against the DDO, the Engineering Wing assured that the outstanding amount would be deposited soon.
Imphal Times is still awaiting a response to the RTI regarding the non-deposit of agency charges totalling Rs. 9.02 crore. Currently, Rs. 6.35 crore is available in the official bank account of the Engineering Wing, which is insufficient to cover the total amount owed to the government. This discrepancy indicates a potential misappropriation of funds, necessitating a thorough investigation to trace the Rs. 11.36 crore and determine the recipients of these funds.
This issue demands immediate action from the Chief Minister. It is imperative to investigate and recover the missing amount from the department while holding those responsible accountable for their actions. The integrity of the state’s financial management depends on prompt and decisive measures.
