May 9, 2013 – Manipur News

BJP wants ministers to declare assets

IMPHAL, May 9 MNS NNN : The Bharatiya Janata Party, Manipur Pradesh today launched scathing attacks on ruling Congress accusing the O Ibobi led Government of letting large amount of food going waste in Manipur and then the party demanded that the Chief Minister and his council of ministers and MLAs declare their assets.
State unit BJP spokesperson Y Nilamani Singh told reporters at the party’s office here that as per a Supreme Court ruling, all the food like rice and sugar which are about to run out of their expiry dates must be distributed to the poor instead of freeing them to go waste.
He alleged that the Manipur Government lets large quantity of food worth croes of rupees to go waste in the state despite the apex court ruling.
About 1114 metric tonne of rice and sugar which can be consumed by the poor for more than one year goes waste every year under this Government against the Supreme Court judgement, he accused.
Asking what exactly the CAF & PD Director, Commissioner and minister have been doing in the last 12 years of Congress rule in the state, Nilamani said that the food specialist/inspector never looks into the matter seriously.
He said BJP wants an independent body like the CBI to carry out a thorough investigation into the activities of these director, commissioner and minister and punish them, asking the real motive of the Congress behind the throwing away of food meant for the underprivileged citizens of the state during the last 17 years.
The people voted the 42 Congress MLAs, but it was not that they wanted them to loot their stomach, the BJP leader said.
“Flagship programme does nothing here in the state. The deprived section of the society under the AAY and BPL never get the benefits,” the Manipur unit of BJP spokesperson further alleged.
He also said that the BJP wants the Chief Minister and his council of ministers and MLAs declare their assets at the earliest and asked the reason for not declaring their assets till now even after the formation of a sub-committee which has been entrusted with the task.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bjp-wants-ministers-to-declare-assets/

Indefinite bandh called in protest against killing of two persons

Imphal May 9 UNA : An indefinite bandh has been called in Manipur protesting against the murder of two villagers of Nongpok Keithelmanbi, which death bodies were retrieved from the hillock of Ngaren Pat yesterday (Wednesday).
The Joint Action committee against the murder of Seitinlal Kipgen and Tongsat Haokip today announced that the indefinite bandh would commence from 4pm of Friday and the and it would continue until the culprits were brought to book.
Speaking at a press conference held at Kuki Inn, Imphal, co-convener of the JAC, M Apanbi said that the bandh will be imposed in protest against government’s in action regarding the murder of two villagers after kidnapped by unknown persons on April 29 last.
Seitinlal Kipgen (50) of Bongbal village of Saikul sub-division of Sadar hills and Tongsat Haokip (35) of Masemjang village of Churachandpur district were found murder at a hillock of Ngaren Pat on Wednesday. They were missing after they went in search of a missing buffalo belonging to Seitinlal to the nearby hills.
The co-convenor of the JAC alleged that government has failed to initiate action despite a missing report was lodge with the police soon after the two went missing. Various civil organisations of Nongpok Keithelmanbi have also submitted memoranda to the chief minister, pressing him to help in tracing out the missing innocent villagers.
If the government happened to initiate action, their whereabouts could have been known earlier, she said, alleging that even after the recovery of the dead bodies, police has failed to take up action to book the culprits.
The indefinite bandh would be supported by Nongpok Keithelmanbi Chingmi-Tammi Apunba Lup comprising of 25 villages of Nongpok Keithelmanbi area and Sadar hill based Kuki Students’ organisation (KSO) and Kuki Innpi, asserted the co-convener.
Asking whether there was no governance in Manipur, Convener Hengah Kipgen who also took part in the press conference strongly condemned the inaction on the part of the state authority even as two innocent people were kidnapped and killed by miscreants.
The attitude of the state government remaining silent unheeding to the hue and cry of the people for safeguarding the life and properties of innocent people was strongly condemnable, he said, adding that the indefinite bandh would continue until and unless authority book the culprits involved in the murder of the two innocent villagers.

Public money cannot be spent recklessly

Carpets can be bought and laid on the floor of the office of the VIPs if required. But buying it for use during the visit of VVIPs to the state is not a sensible advice. If it is not stolen it will be eaten up by rodents. Extra care needs to be taken to protect the woollen carpets. A care taker has to be employed to clean regularly the carpets and kanats. In the past some of the Government departments resorted to buying spree of Shamiyans and Kanats for use during the function held at the office complexes. What happened after one year? The items disappeared having landed at the houses of the officials and none returned it. Public money is not for wasting. These employees, who refuse to sweep even the floor office building, will not lend hand for stretching the clothes when the sun shines. But these items unless dried up regularly will end up being eaten up by moth. Fungus will appear and insects will damage the woollen carpets and kanats. Woolen jackets worn by male and female are kept under the sun during autumn season to kill the invisible insects resting on the yarn. Will these Government employees in charge of carpets and kanats do that? Public money is really valuable. It cannot be wasted by doing useless things. There are hundreds of tent houses in Manipur. All these items can be hired from these tent houses. By spending below Rs 10,000 a VVIP can be extended red carpet welcome at the airport. A 28 meter long carpet having two meters in width cost as low as Rs 14,000. Two rolls of carpet, which works out to 56 meters will be required for a VVIP to inspect the guard of honour. A tent house will happily lend the carpets for such grandeur function by charging only Rs 5000. Rs 30,00000 for buying carpets and kanats is too big. By spending the same amount a school building can repaired or a medium sized bridge can be constructed. Similarly wooden barricades used to separate crowd from VVIPs can be replaced by ropes. These wooden barricades stand for name sake. It will fall when a child push it. The rope will serve better purpose. If GAD wants to buy anything for use during the visit by the VVIPs the right choice is iron stand, which can be used for straightening ropes. Because iron stand cannot be eaten by rodents and insects. None will like it for it will be of no use to others. Assembly committee members having done the inspection might have made up their mind. The members of the committee, we are confident, will give perfect advice to the men in power to take extra care to cut down unnecessary expenditure. Let us see what comes out.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/public-money-cannot-be-spent-recklessly/