Month: May 2015

IMPHAL, May 28: Border dispute in the north east states is not a new issue as this has been prevailing since the independence of the country from the hands of British colonial rule. Despite the passage of more than 60 years, the Central Government has not come up with an amicable settlement to the border issues, ex-Minister and president of Manipur People`™s Party (MPP) has stated.

He was addressing media persons at his residence at Singjamei Kakwa, Imphal West today.

O Joy observed that there have been instances of conflict arising out of the border issues in the north east states claiming lives of people and injuring many others.

The encroachment of land at Dzuko, Jessami and Tolloi is yet to be settled. The border dispute has brought sore relationship with the neighbouring state of Nagaland, he said.

Pointing out that some political parties have been gaining political mileage out of the border disputes rather than solving it, the ex-Minister said that Union Ministers who preferred to visit the state for election campaign should take note of the issues as well.

He mentioned that the state government should exert pressure on the Central Government regarding the border issue considering the sentiments of the people.

The border issue needs to be discussed in the Cabinet meeting as the territorial integrity of the state cannot be put at stake at any cost, O Joy said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/border-dispute-not-a-new-issue-exminister-o-joy/

KANGPOKPI, May 28: The Kuki civil bodies under the banner of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills have decided to call off its proposed 48 hours total bandh from midnight of May 28 after holding a marathon meeting with the state Government yesterday.

The Kuki civil bodies including Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills under the leadership of Kuki Inpi Manipur had a marathon meeting yesterday at the Chief Minister`™s Office chamber.

During the meeting the State government was represented by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, IFC minister Ngamthang Haokip and Saikul AC MLA Yamthong Haokip.

Thangkam Lupheng, spokesperson of Sadar Hills Kuki CSOs said that after a harmonious settlement according to the Kuki customary law has been reached between the State government and the Sadar Hills Kuki CSOs led by Kuki Inpi Manipur yesterday over the killing of Paokholen Khongsai, a church secretary his body has been claimed today at around 11 am from the JNIMS morgue.

Hence, the Kuki civil bodies of Sadar Hills under the banner of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills have decided to call off the proposed 48-hours Sadar Hills total bandh which was to start from midnight of May 30 added the spokesperson.

Mentioned may be made that, Sadar Hills Kuki civil society organizations under the banner of Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills including KISG, KWU, KWOHR, KSO, TSA and other local bodies called 48 hours total bandh in the entire Sadar Hills from midnight of May 30 till midnight of June 1 over the alleged lawlessness, injustice and failure of the state Government to fulfilled its demands over B. Gamnom killing on May 23.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/sadar-hills-kuki-csos-call-off-bandh/

IMPHAL May 28: The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region (DoNER) Dr Jitendra Singh has announced 18 hours of daily power supply for all the districts in the State, during a press briefing at the Conference Hall of Secretariat South Block after his meeting with the Chief Minister.

`Northeast is an essential part of Prime Minister`™s Vision to develop all the regions equally. This is already translated with the announcement of the Sports University in Manipur which aims at bringing the mainland closer to the Northeast besides creating more employment for the insiders.` he said.

Towards addressing the power crisis, the Union Minister said the ambitious plan of installing a new 400 kw power station at Thoubal is materializing with a two year deadline.

Most formalities are over and financial aspect is duly decided for a budget of approximately Rs 124 crores, he said.

This should be able to cater 18-hours of power supply to all the districts, he assured.

On the progress of the sports university he said, `According to the Chief Minister, 300 acres of land at Yaithibi has been identified and acquired for the Sports University.`™

He added, this sports university will be unique and the first of its kind in the country.

It is meant to absorb people from other regions and integrate as a nation through closer interactions, he said.

Regarding the connectivity hurdles in the State the Union Minister said, `DoNER being a nodal ministry for all ministries has formed a Committee for Tourism and similarly hopes to establish a Committee for Road, Transport and Highway very soon.`

`We will incorporate the technical inputs that are suggested for the Imphal-Silchar road.`

The Union Minister also pointed out that the intra regional connectivity needs to be revamped.

He further said, `DoNER will consider the feasibility regarding the Chief Minister`™s request for night halt facilities at Tuhilal Airport.

We have also heard and marked the grievances about telecom network problems and related professional hazard, Dr Jitendra said.

Later answering to a query on the disparity between the plans and achievements of DoNER, he diverted the crucial query by detailing the fresh initiatives `DoNER at your doorstep`™ exercise which was supposedly started from Imphal in March this year.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/doner-minister-assures-18hour-daily-power-supply/

IMPHAL, May 28: If the weather remains calm, the construction of the Sanjenthong will be completed by June-end said minister Works and Transport Dr Kh Ratankumar Singh today.

He said that the work progress is speedy and the transport of the main part of the bridge `Hanger`™ which was delayed has arrived and the fitting process has already been begun.

The minister said he is hopeful to open the bridge to the public by June-end.

He was speaking to a group of media persons at the venue of Summer Festival 2015 (International Expo with Disneyland), Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal.

The All Manipur Kidney Transplant Patient`™s Welfare Association, Imphal sponsored Summer Festival 2015 was inaugurated today by the minister Works & Transport as chief guest.

During the inaugural function Dr Ratankumar Singh said that the festival will help in promoting and spreading awareness the safe sides of kidney transplants.

He said that kidney transplant process incurs huge amount of money and in other States a portion of amount is sponsored by their respective State government, he said adding that as a Member of the Legislative Assembly he will put up the issue at the upmost level to have some room of government financial sponsorship for kidney patients.

He said that social media also plays an important role in spreading the message and added that we should be optimistic that the government will extend support to the kidney patients as in other States of India.

The inaugural function was also attended by Deputy Commissioner Imphal East M Joy Singh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/sanjenthong-will-be-completed-by-juneend-ratankumar/

IMPHAL, May 28: People of Sugunu constituency have been facing banking problems due to lack of banks in the area for the past many years, and so there are plans afoot to bring a branch of the State Bank of India at Sugunu and Kakchig Khunou after the June 1 ADC election.

This was said by local MLA K Ranjit today during a formal function inaugurating a market shed at Kakching Khunou.

He said there are no banks in his constituency afer the rural bank at Sugunu was shifted to another place owing to security problem.

Sugunu is the tri-junction of three districts, Thoubal, Chandel and Churachandpur, he said.

Now the situation in the area is quite good and so after the ADC election, we will bring a branch of the SBI in the area, he said.

We will open the bank on the first floor of a building in the market area, he said adding that if the bank authority agree, another branch would be open at Kakching Khunou.

He said he will work for the people and the blacktopping of the road from Sugunu to Chakpikarong was done by him.

He said in four terms as the local MLA, he is unable to reach even 20 percent of development in his constituency and so he has to work on the 80 percent.

Ranjit, however, acknowledged that the promise made to the farmers of Umathel to provide irrigation water from his local area development fund throughout the year has failed technically.

He said on a trial basis a water pump was used with the help of electric motors to pump water 24×7, however, the motor couldn`™t run for 24×7.

Now, we are looking for another means to avail water to the farmers, he said.

He said vegetable production from Kakching Khunou area is good but people have marketing problems.

The market shed inaugurated today was constructed at an estimated cost of around Rs 14.5 lakhs from his MLA local Area Development Fund and another Rs 90,000 from the municipal council.

The market shed is 200 feet long and 25 feet wide with a 20 feet height.

He said he is unable to materialize the demand for a Boys and Girls common room at the Kakching Khunou College, because Rs 10 lakhs had been recently sanctioned to the Governing body of the college to maintain the laboratory, equipment.

As for the construction of the common room, he said he will seek help from the higher education directorate.

In the 2017 election, please elect the right person who has been working for the people for long and not on the basis of the candidate`™s party, he said.

The function was also attended by Block Congres Committee, Sugunu president Khaidem Nimaichandra, DTO Imphal West Mutum Mani Singh, Kakching Khunou Municipal Council chairman Mayanglambam Raghu Meitei and aast director SAI Leishangthem Ibomcha Singh.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/mla-ranjit-assures-banking-facilities-in-constituency-soon/

IMPHAL, May 28: Although the BJP led NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has withdrawn the Special State Status from several States including Manipur, it is not in their capacity to stop sanctioning funds to Manipur, asserted Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today.

Even if they fail to sanction the funds, we will grab the same, he said.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the district level Congress Workers`™ conference in connection with the yearlong Celebration for the 125th birth anniversary of Balasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar cum ADC election campaign meeting at the public ground near Aimol Tampak, Pallel.

Continuing his speech, Ibobi said during the time of the UPA government in the Centre, the North Eastern States along with Jammu and Kashmir were identified as Special States and provided with additional funds from the Centre recognizing them to be underdeveloped compared to the other States.

Under the status, Manipur must have received more than Rs 2000 crores, which also includes Rs 450 crores under Special Plan Assistance and Rs 800 crores under Additional Central Assistance, he observed.

However, the Status has been withdrawn from the States citing that these States are now comparably developed as the other States, he said.

The State government is not dejected with this development and we will try to move on, the Chief Minister said.

Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also expressed that the recent shooting incident at Pallel during a religious procession resulting in the death of a man is unfortunate and we should assure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.

If a few individuals from any one of the communities residing peacefully together in the State create a problem then let them be punished according to the law, he continued.

Just because a few individuals of a particular community is bad, we should not blame the whole community and we should never try to create communal tensions in the State, the Chief Minister appealed to the people.

Meanwhile, replying to a memorandum submitted by the Aimol Tribes Union, the Chief Minister assured that the PHSC at Aimol Tampak will be upgraded to a PHC and that the DC, Thoubal and the SDO, Kakching will be informed to take up necessary steps to evict the illegal encroachers from along the road connecting Pallel to Aimol Tampak.

He also assured to construct a community hall at Aimol Tampak.

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaikhangam who is also the State deputy Chief Minister presiding over the function said BJP leaders including Union Ministers and the party`™s State leaders have been lying that the withdrawal of the Special State Status from Manipur was completed during the UPA government.

He continued that other than the few Central institutes in the State all funds from the Centre are sanctioned through the State government, Gaikhangam said further claiming that the BJP leaders are claiming that funds for the ADCs will be directly sanctioned to them.

BJP leaders including Union Minister making such lies tantamount to a housebreak ahead of the ADC election, the MPCC president claimed.

He further claimed that some of the BJP`™s State leaders of today had even served as Congress ministers in the past who had taken everything from the Congress party.

He said the Congress party is one of the many political parties of the world, however it is not simply a political party, but it is a platform for the public`™s agitations.

Today`™s function was also participated by MP Dr Th Meinya, MP Thangso Baite, Tengnoupal MLA DK Korungthang, MLA T Mangibabu Singh, MLA E Dwijamani, party candidates for the ADC election among others.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/05/centre-cannot-deprive-state-of-fund-even-if-special-status-withdrawn-ibobi/