Day: June 13, 2013

IMPHAL, June 13 MNS NNN : In a significant development, the Manipur assembly has on Thursday once again resolved to introduce the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in the state by extending the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation 1873.
The resolution was taken by the House during short duration discussion after Congress MLA RK Anand moved the proposal for implementation of ILP system in the state. A similar resolution was taken by the assembly last year.
Anand told the House that the issue of ILP was valid and it should not be overlooked suggesting the House that the system be introduced in Manipur by extending the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873.
Observing that the demand for introduction of ILP was just plain, Dr Ng Bijoy from the ruling party, who seconded the proposal initiated by Anand, also said that if the demand was fulfilled, a coordination committee could be set up to avoid misunderstanding over the issue.
MLA L Ibomcha from the Opposition bench also said that the Act was still enforced in some parts of Assam and it was in the hands of the Centre to implement it in the state.
Taking part in the discussion, Opposition MLA Dr I Ibohanbi pledged that full support would be given to the Government in its efforts to introduce the Act in the state.
He said the Census records between 1950 and 1961 shot up heavily which had resulted in the increase of voters in the electoral rolls and all these things must be seriously discussed in the House.
Chief Minister O Ibobi while clarifying on the issue, said that Manipur assembly in 2012 unanimously passed a resolution regarding introduction of the Act and it was later dispatched to the Centre apprising the clear stance of the House.
He said the Government was looking into the unparalleled swelling of population in the Census reports recorded between 1950 and 1961 in the state adding that such controversies would be able to solve as the Biometric Survey had been introduced.
Ibobi in an apparent attack on the Joint Committee on inner Line Permit System (JCILPS), held that it was a hasty move to bar non-locals from entering the state for want of ILP implementation and appealed to the NGOs in the state not to take the law in their hands.
Manipur Agriculture minister Md Abdul Nasir today informed the state Assembly that there is adequate fertiliser in stock for distribution to the farmers at subsidized rate.
Replying to a query raised by Th Shyamkumar the minister said Agriculture department is providing fertilizer and there is no issue of facing fertiliser scarcity. He added there is also some stock of last year.
Works minister, Dr Kh Ratankumar said construction of SDC office at Konthoujam at a cost of Rs 14.74 lakhs has been completed.
He said works were taken up by his ministry based on official reports and recommendations from the general masses.
Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today said that the Government had not yet confirmed that there was a unit manufacturing pseudoephedrine drugs in Moreh town (a township in the Indo-Myanmar border) in Chandel district of Manipur.
Opposition leader Dr I Ibohanbi moved a Calling Attention Motion in the House alleging that a pseudoephedrine manufacturing unit had been opened in the commercial hub Moreh, bordering Myanmar.
Gaikhangam in response to the move informed the House that the state Government was taking serious steps against drug trafficking network and said that the Government alone could not curb the menace while maintaining that it had become a serious threat.
He also sought cooperation from all sections of the society to counter this problem together and said that this could be brought to an end only by a stringent Act and the Government was trying to introduce a bill in the current assembly session toward that end.
Ibohanbi then claimed, “The youngsters in Manipur who once used heroin now have started using amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS), the second most commonly abused drug type worldwide.”
Manipur assembly today passed an amount of Rs 1167, 61, 07, 000 for seven different demands that would be utilized upto March 31, 2014.
The demands approved by the House include State Legislature (Rs 39, 92, 04, 000), Council of Ministers (Rs 6, 01, 73, 000), Secretariat (Rs 72, 29, 85, 000), Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (Rs 363, 18, 91, 000), Election (Rs 7, 89, 62, 000), Planning (Rs 614, 17, 28, 000) and Minorities, Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes Department (Rs 64, 11, 68, 000).
Opposition leader Dr I Ibohanbi, MLAs Th Shyamkumar, P Brojen, Th Shyamkumar and Th Joykishan took part in the discussion on the demands.
Before passing the seven demands by the House, Chief Minister O Ibobi, also holding additional charge of Finance made clarification on token cut, policy cut and economy cut motions raised by the members and later assured them that their suggestions would be considered.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/assembly-resolves-to-introduce-ilp/

IMPHAL, June 13 NNN : The Thadou Students Association(TSA)-Chandel district and the TSA-Imphal branch have strongly condemned the acts of Manipur police commandos on two incidents. According to TSA-Chandel, two persons on evening walk were picked up by police commandos at Pallel bazar last evening at around 7 pm. When the locals came to the police pleading for the release of the two persons, the police opened blank fire, alleged the TSA-Chandel. The TSA said it strongly condemned the act of the police commandos. The Thadou students’ body then said the police in Pallel area should come under the superintendent of Police, Chandel district.
Meanwhile, the Thadou students Association, Imphal branch alleged that three student leaders were assaulted at Khongnangkarak, Chingmeirong (Imphal) on June 11 night by the police commandos. “We were coming back after meeting the CM when the police commandos stopped us and assaulted us. They even threatened to shoot us,” said TSA-Imphal branch.
Thangjalun Baite (vice president of TSA-Chandel), Kakai Singsit (Kuki Students Organisation-General HQ information secretary) and Mark Haokip (Tribal Students Union, DM College of Science) were returning by bikes and the police personnel asked for their ID cards, said the TSA-Imphal branch. “All the three showed their ID cards but even after that the commandos assaulted them,” alleged the TSA.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/police-charged-of-assaulting-students/

IMPHAL, June 13 NNN : The state government of Manipur has assured the leaders of All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) during the meeting yesterday and following which the ATSUM has suspended its ongoing agitation with immediately effect.
Manipur government has agreed to the demand of the ATSUM leaders for the establishment of a separate State Commission for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe (SC/ST) in Manipur. According to ATSUM leaders, chief minister O Ibobi Singh had assured them in this connection. “Once established, the commission as in the case of Karnataka, the issue of reservation will be dealt with by the commission,” said the ATSUM.
The chief minister then assured that all the government schools in the hill districts will have adequate teaching and non-teaching staff. “In some schools there are more than 20 teachers for just few student or vice versa. The chief minister had assured us that the concerned authority will work out for the balance in this regard. After these are done, if more teaching staff are needed then recruitment of teachers will be done,” the ATSUM leaders added. The chief minister also assured to develop infrastructure of government schools in the hill districts. “He had also assured us to have B.Ed centres in the hill districts,” the ATSUM leaders added.
On health sector, the chief minister said more doctors will be recruited and the first preference will be given to the hill districts. “Out of 12 Primary Health Centres, Primary Health Sub-Centres (PHSC) etc., etc., in the hill districts only two are functional and that two with very poor effieciency while the rest 10 are non-functional,” pointed out the ATSUM leaders, adding, “Given this picture, the chief minister had said 50 specialist doctors will be recruited and the first preference will be given to the hill districts.” The chief minister also assured the ATSUM leaders that recruitment drive for the ST category at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS), Imphal will begin soon.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/government-assures-atsum-to-fulfil-demands/