Kohima, July 4 – During a press conference at the Office of the Principal Accountant General (Accounts & Entitlements) in Nagaland, Senior Deputy Accountant General (Audit) Kahoto J. Yepthomi reiterated the government’s commitment to combating corruption, stating, “We have a Zero Tolerance policy on corruption.” He urged the public to report any incidents of bribery or corruption to the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), or the Lokayukta. He emphasized that if substantial evidence is provided, the office would take decisive action against offenders.
A notice displayed in the office warned, “Do not pay bribes. If you are asked for a bribe or have information about corruption in this office, report it to the head of the department, the Chief Vigilance Officer, the Superintendent of Police, or the Secretary of the Central Vigilance Commission.”
The press conference aimed to clarify issues raised by a recent news report, which officials claimed could mislead the public about their functions. Principal Accountant General Frederick Syiemlieh and Senior DAG Azhar Jamal joined Yepthomi to explain the office’s roles and responsibilities.
Yepthomi clarified that the department for which a State Government employee works is responsible for sanctioning pensions. This department must verify and complete pension documentation before forwarding it to the Office of the Principal Accountant General (A&E), which then authorizes the pension or family pension.
As outlined in the Citizens’ Charter, pension Payment Orders must be prepared and issued within 30 working days of receiving complete pension papers. In the past year, the office received 3,927 pension cases. Out of these, 2,415 were submitted six months before retirement, 922 within seven to twelve months, and 590 after one year. Of all cases, 3,515 were settled within the prescribed 30-day period.
Yepthomi highlighted that the office functions independently under the C&AG of India, which is a constitutional authority not subordinate to any Ministry. He also pointed out that the AG office does not hold custody of state finances, emphasizing that the state government manages its own financial matters.
To promote transparency, the office publishes the details of pension approvals, including the names and contact information of the officers involved, on their website and notice board. In compliance with the Right to Information (RTI) Act, which the office has implemented since 2005, the contact details for the Public Information Officer and Assistant Public Information Officer are available on the website and in the office’s Reception Cell. Since 2019, the office has dealt with 56 RTI applications.
The office has also made the contact information of the Grievance Redressal Officer and all Branch Officers available online. Visitors may meet with officers any day except Wednesdays in the Visitors’ Room.
For concerns regarding Accounts and Entitlements, including General Provident Fund and Pension queries, complaints can be submitted through the online Complaint/Suggestion section of the State AG website or via email at agaenagaland@cag.gov.in. Unsatisfactory responses can be escalated to the Senior Administrative Officer (Complaint) in the C&AG office or via the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).
Addressing accusations that the public was barred from accessing files, Yepthomi explained that the restriction aimed to limit the influence of middlemen who sought assistance on behalf of multiple individuals. He affirmed that the office welcomes genuine pensioners, government employees, and their dependents, saying, “Whoever has a genuine grievance, they have every right to come and clarify their doubts.”
He also mentioned the establishment of a Grievance and Redressal Cell to facilitate access and accountability. The office continues to digitize pension documents and adheres to relevant pension regulations, maintaining General Provident Fund accounts. In the past five years, they settled 10,059 GPF cases.
Original Source: https://www.morungexpress.com/we-have-zero-tolerance-on-corruption-ag-office
Category: Nagaland
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Publish Date: 2025-07-04 22:26:00
