Inquiry committee to go into funds for school uniforms

Aizawl, Apr 2 : Mizoram Assembly Speaker R Romawia has constituted an assembly inquiry committee to inquire into allegations and counter-allegations on utilisation of funds for purchase of school uniforms under SSA. Assembly secretariat officials today said that the speaker formed the inquiry committee while the assembly was no longer in session. Lalduhoma of the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) was appointed chairman of the ommittee and the other members were T T Zothansanga and John Siamkunga, both of the ruling Congress, Lalthansanga of the Mizoram People's onference (MPC) and P P Thawlla of the Maraland Democratic Front (MDF). No member representing the largest opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) was appointed in the committee. MNF leader and former education minister Dr R Lalthangliana earlier alleged that over Rs 700 lakh SSA fund meant for the purchase of school uniforms of more than 1.8 lakh students lapsed during 2010-11. Education minister Lalsawta, however, denied the allegations saying that the fund did not lapse and was regarded as spillover in the next fiscal. The debate between the two members even disrupted the proceedings of the session and the two legislators dared that they would resign if they were proven wrong by an inquiry committee which resulted in the formation of the committee.