The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) had recently stated in a report that the Mizoram government had given excessive amount of benefits to a consultancy firm that was roped in for the development of an eco-tourism project in the State.
According to the CAG report, the Mizoram Tourism department had also awarded the contract of an eco-tourism project of Serchhip district to the Delhi-based consultancy firm even before getting approval from the Centre.
Although the Mizoram government had awarded the contract of the project to the firm on September 2013, the Centre had given its approval for the project on November 2014.
As per reports, the Centre had provided Rs 2.41 crore for carrying out the initial works of the project.
The entire amount was provided to the project’s implementing agency Mizoram Tourism Development Authority (MTDA) by the State Government in March 2015.
According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Mizoram government and the consultancy firm in April, 2015, the former was to pay the firm Rs 96.59 as retainer on signing of the agreement which was paid on due date.
As per the MoU, an amount of Rs 72.45 lakh was to be paid on submission of detailed specifications and an equal amount as last installment during the course of construction of work.
However, the rest of the total amount of Rs 2.41 crore was already paid to the consultant firm even before commencement of the project, the CAG report said.
The CAG report mentioned that the Mizoram government had given ‘undue benefits’ to the firm.