The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has demanded that the State Government provide full account of how Rs. 100 cr was spent at Kisama and the revenue generated.
“Over the years the Hornbill festival has mutated into a giant money laundering enterprise. To his credit it can be said that CM Rio did single-handedly put Nagaland on the world tourism map, but it has come at a huge cost,” stated the RPP in a press release issued today. Citing media reports, the Party highlighted that for the 25th edition of the Hornbill Festival, the NDPP-BJP coalition sanctioned Rs. 100 Cr for “infrastructure development” at Kisama.
“100 Crores is not a small amount. In a classic case of money laundering, the coalition government demolished the spanking pavilion/rostrum at Kisama Heritage Village and built a new one at the highly inflated cost of Rs. 52 Cr. In stark contrast, the NFHRCC had to issue an ultimatum to the state government for the release of Rs. 145 Cr for the construction of the Foothill road. Recently, the DUCCF had decried the lack of roads and the crumbling infrastructure in Dimapur,” stated the RPP.
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It also accused the opposition-less government of owing no respect for public sentiments. “The Town Hall at Dimapur Supermarket is being ‘renovated’ at the mind-boggling amount of Rs. 18 Cr – an amount which could have easily built a new world class facility, while the Old Fly-Over, Dimapur, was sanctioned the measly amount of Rs. 2 Cr for renovation works. Dimapur needs several new flyovers and better basic amenities and yet the misplaced priority of this government and its laundering skill is astounding. According to sources both the Town Hall and the Kisama works were given to the same contractor,” claimed the Party.
Demanding the state government to provide a full account of how the Rs. 100 Cr was spent at Kisama and the revenue generated, the RPP further stated, “In short the entire state has become one giant money laundering ecosystem”.
