IMPHAL, March 2: The State government has suspended the Principal of Lilong Haoreibi College and constituted a high power committee to conduct an inquiry over the misappropriation of college funds, stated M Okendro in the second day of the 10th session of the tenth Manipur Legislative Assembly today.
The issue of fund misappropriation was raised by Andro A/C MLA Th Shyamkumar during the calling attention motion hour. The concerned minister Moirangthem Okendro replying to the calling attention motion stated that the Higher Education department has taken up appropriate actions against the Principal of the Lilong Haoreibi College.
He has been suspended and vigilance case filed against him for misappropriating around Rs 83.32 lakhs sanctioned by the UGC. The issue came to light when the Principal who was transferred to another post didn`™t vacate his post and refuse to hand it over to the newly appointed Principal. A high power committee led by the Chief Secretary grilled him to take further actions against him and the misappropriated funds will be recovered from him, he said.
He said the Education department has constituted a State level UGC project screening committee to monitor all the projects and schemes being funded under the UGC in every college of the State. Earlier, the colleges were working randomly without the consent of the committee on construction of infrastructure etc, he added.
The committee now screens every projects or schemes taken up in colleges and submit a report to the State government, and the State government will again submit the same to the UGC, the Education minister said.
Meanwhile, Andro A/C MLA Th Shyamkumar alleged that if the colleges utilise UGC funds independently without the consent of the State department then it is apparent that the government has no authority.
The State authorities are not monitoring the existing colleges and schools for studying with field visits. Shyamkumar said.