BJP seeks probe into Rs 816-cr Covid expenses

SHILLONG, Feb 12: The controversy over the state government Covid-19 expenditure of Rs 816 crore refuses to die down and is turning out to be one of the chief election agenda in North Shillong constituency from where former DHS Aman Warr is contesting the upcoming polls on a UDP ticket.
Warr has feigned ignorance on the government figure of Rs 816 crore, asserting that according to the DHS, the total expenditure was Rs 248 crore, but his political opponents are not buying the argument.
BJP spokesperson and candidate, Mariahom Kharkrang on Sunday demanded that the exorbitant expenditure amounting to Rs 816 crore in Meghalaya should be investigated.
Speaking to media persons amid a door-to-door campaign at the Police Reserve here, he said, “The Covid-19 expenses has to be investigated and every detail should be put out before the public as to where and how these funds were spent.”
According to Kharkrang, this should not be mere election agenda but it has to go beyond that since a massive state like Assam with a huge population spent around Rs 250 crore while Manipur, which had a far greater number of Covid positive cases and related deaths, spent only around Rs 77 crore.
“It is astounding that Meghalaya with a small population spent over Rs 816 crore. If this is not a scam, then I don’t know what a scam is,” he said.
Earlier, VPP candidate from North Shillong, Adelbert Nongrum had filed an FIR at Sadar police station seeking an inquiry into an amount of Rs 43 crore, claimed to be unaccounted for out of the Rs 119 crore received as central grants-in-aid through the National Health Mission for Covid-19.