Top Mizoram official suspended for ‘corruption’
Aizawl: The Mizoram state in its fight against corruption has suspended Director of Health and Family Welfare department Dr. N.Palai from his post.
N Palai has been accused of siphoning off funds meant for National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and also alleged that the officer was responsible for the misutilisation of funds for the construction of AYUSH building in Aizawl.
Investigation of the project and financial condition of the two scams has been taken by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Joint Director of social welfare department, government of Mizoram Ms. Vanlaldini was appointed as director in the place of Dr. N Palai, a source revealed today.
The Mizoram state has been trying hard to eradicate corruption and for this purpose Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) was established and besides ACB, there is a social organisation who actively fight against corruption in Mizoram and that is Peoples’ Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM).
Rampant activities of corruption in Mizoram has prompted for the establishment of Prism, the most active anti corruption group in Mizoram, said C Laltanpuia, leader of PRISM in Aizawl today. He said Prism submitted suggestions and complaints to the authority, lodged first information reports (FIRs) to the state’s anti-corruption mechanism and filed public interest litigation to the high court.
Newmai News Network
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It is a well known fact that there are many corrupt gov't officers in Mizoram but the authorities and even the PRISM have the "only guts to target" Dr. Palai, who belongs to a minority community, or from a community many Mizos often misunderstood as non-Mizo. Well, let's see if they have the courage to take beyond someone like him. It is the only state where gov't officials are the richest and live beyond their known sources of income.
I agree some authorities and many other groups (an hming chu sawi lo mai ang) do target members of a minority, which is condemnable, but as far as I know, PRISM is very unbiased in who they target, and they regularly publish names of people, usually all Mizos, at leading newspapers and TV who they accuse of being corrupt etc. They have acted out against other Mizos many other times too and I believe they are not communal in nature.
“It is the only state where gov’t officials are the richest and live beyond their known sources of income”.
Very very true. It is high time corruption is dealt with a big stick. No one should be spared. North-east politicians and govt officials have for long thrived on corruption and money laundering. No wonder all the money that comes from the central government never reach where they are meant for. Mizoram has become a safe haven for kleptocrats.
I absolutely agree with @Siaha^Cowboy.
It is very much open to everyone that the nexus between Babus(Govt. Officials) and their political mentors irrespective of which party comes to power. Look at the pathetic condition of almost all Mizoram Roads, barring Silchar-Aizawl & newly constrcuted Lunglei-Aizawl raod, rest are almost unfit for vehiles. Recently MST has suspended the only public Bus service from Aizawl to Marpara citing dilapidated rd condition; various Vehicle Owners Association recently sponsored & repaired Lunglei – Demagiri(Tlabung) & Kamalanagar Road as if to suggest that Govt. has failed. I CONDEMN if Dr. Palai has been targeted just becoz he belongs of minority community however if he is realy guilty then he should awarded exemplary punishment and every official should be punished for corruption whether he/she is Hmar, Mara, Chakma, Lushei or Lai. Next…politicians should be held accountable to public and be punished if involved in corruption. Long Live Mizoram!
I agree with Sandman. PRISM has been very fair in its campaign against corruption. We need to remember that in Mizoram there are also corrupt officials from every community. To root them out we need to ping them and i think they will take up the issues which every common man will face. Remember, they even filed charges against Pu Zoramthanga as well.
We support PRISM. Let the guilty be punished