Day: August 22, 2017

From A Correspondent

THOUBAL| Aug 22

 Mainam Ningol Chaobi Devi (87), who is blind ever since birth, has been living without getting any pension benefits under government scheme. She hails from Thoubal district which is the assembly constituency O. Ibobi, the former chief minister who held the post for 15 long years.

Chaobi who lives at Wangmataba College Road, Thoubal can still hold conversations well even in her age. However, the family members have expressed disappointments regarding the matter towards the departments concerned.

Representative of social welfare department had visited her residence before and took her photographs, but nothing came from it. Choabi holds her disability certificate; however she has received not a single benefit from any of the departments concerned.

After it was being circulated in the social media regarding her conditions, this reporter went to her residence for an interview.  Brojendro, son of (L) Mainam Kunjo who was the younger brother of Chaobi, expressed that his parents told him that her aunt had lost her eyesight when she reached around four months after birth.

She has turned 87 years of age, and all her siblings have passed away. To make their Aunt’s life a little comfortable, they had been trying and pushing hard to deliver some benefits from social welfare department for the last 15 years, but unfortunately to no avail. 

Brojendro further said that they started requesting for her old age pension 15 years before, during the time when Leitanthem Tomba was the MLA of Thoubal district.  But nothing has been provided so far.

A former chairperson of Thoubal municipal council has also assured help. In this regard they had submitted all the required documents to departments concerned but no results had come out it so far.

Brojen said, “It is not that we are craving for the meagre pension provided by the government. But we wish to see her happy to receive her pensions as she has been left out from the rest.”

He further appealed to the departments concerned of the new government to look into the matter.  

MLA blames former government

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 22

Charges have cropped up from a former councillor of Yaiskul Assembly constituency regarding pilferage of National Food Security Act rice. Allegation is that gross nepotism and manipulation have been conducted in the rice distribution.

Addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club today, Y. Ratikanta, former councillor of ward number 19 of Yaiskul constituency stated that he sought information regarding the rice distribution through the RTI Act recently.

The reply he received from the consumer affairs, food and pubic distribution department mentioned that rice had been allocated for the constituency till April 2017. But, the signatures of distribution made in the beneficiaries ration books states that rice had been distributed for May, June and July of this year.

The month of January, February, March and April is blank in all the ration books. For evidence, he showed several cards which supported his statement.

He questioned the motive of distributing rice quota sanctioned for the earlier four months as rice quota for the latter three months. “What will happen to the rice of the last four months?” he charged.

Moreover, he alleged that the fair price shops and agents have been neglected as the distribution is done by a committee called Development Welfare Committee through its secretary namely A Joychandra.

Hinting political favouritism, he said that the CAF and PD department has turned a blind eye and the SDO concerned signs the utilisation certificate authorising the committee secretary Joychandra to receive the monthly quota. Joychandra is not a registered rice agent, he added.

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Further, he distributes the rice through his committee deriding the authority of the registered local distribution agents, said Ratikanta.

It was alleged that the ward members are also empowered to sign the rice quota utilisation certificate where only councillors concerned are authorised to do so. He mentioned that ward member of 19, Yaiskul a/c , namely T Gobind also signed for Ward number 18 among other discrepancies. Ratikanta stated that the rice quota for November and December were not distributed too.

In the regard, Imphal Free Press called up the concerned MLA Th Satyabrata. He clarified that he became an MLA in March 2017 and anomalies in rice distribution before his tenure is not within his ambit.

“I have started distributing rice from April onwards and there have been no lapses and there will not be any in future also” he added saying that if complaint arises regarding concerned rice agents, then it can be handed over to a welfare organisation in the interest of the public.

Imphal East district supply officer also commented that an agent can be removed if found indulging in any pilferage and another agent or a body can be deputed as an interim arrangement.

IMPHAL | Aug 22

Chief minister N. Biren Singh has condoled the demise of former chief minister and parliamentarian Rishang Keishing. In his condolence message, the CM remembered Keishing as one of the longest serving chief ministers of the State.

He said, “Rishang Keishing’s contribution towards Manipur’s progress will always be remembered. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of Rishang Keishing.”

The chief minister said Rishang was a people’s man and a pragmatic leader. The veteran politician was one of the oldest parliamentarians of India, he added.

As a mark of respect to the departed soul, a three-day State mourning will be observed, and the government offices and educational institutions will remain closed tomorrow.

The All India Congress Committee, AICC, in a tweet also condoled the death of the veteran and said the party’s thought and prayers will remain with his family.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Aug 22

Hymns echoed mellow at Mantripukhri as family members and well-wishers mourned the passing of Rishang Keishing, one of the oldest and most reputed politicians in the Northeast and a leading figure of Manipur politics. He was 98.

Medical report said Keishing died of multiple organ failure and sepsis. He was treated at RIMS intensive care unit since a month back. He passed away at 8.15 pm today.

Bereaved family members and relatives were condoled at RIMS, intensive care unit by MLAs and politicians including Gaikhangam, TN Haokip, DD Thaisii, Thangso Baite. BJP MLA of Konthoujam constituency Sapam Ranjan also came to pay his respects. “We have lost a great leader today,” Ranjan told Imphal Free Press.

Rishang belongs to Bungpa Khunou village of the newly created Kamjong district and was born to late Lungdi Keishing and late Mungshingla Keishing on 25 October, 1919. He is survived by his wife Khatingla Keishing and four sons and two daughters.

His condolence ceremony will be held at his residence at Mantripukhri on Wednesday morning. Later, floral tribute will be paid at MPCC complex at BT road. His mortal remains will be laid to rest at his native village of Bungpa Khullen on August 24.

He began his career as a teacher in Bungpa lower primary school when he was just 16 after finishing his sixth grade from Kangpokpi Mission Middle Elementary school in 1936. After a short stint of teaching he resumed his education at Churachand High school in 1937-38.

He continued his studies at Kohima government high school and passed matriculation examination from Jorhat Christian High school at Assam (1944-45). He studied his higher secondary education at St Paul Cathedral College at Calcutta and graduated from Calcutta University in 1949.

He later joined the Ukhrul Christian Junior High school as headmaster in September 1949.

He later resigned from his teaching career in 1952 and entered the political arena.He was elected as member of parliament to the first Lok Sabha from outer parliamentary constituency under the ticket of the Indian Socialist Party in April 1952 and continued till April 1957.

In 1962, he was again elected member of the third Lok Sabha under the same ticket till 1967. He had joined the Indian National Congress during that tenure in 1964 under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru. He got elected in 1972 and continued successfully for seven consecutive terms till 2002.

He was sworn in as a cabinet minister in 1975 and became the deputy chief minister in 1977 became the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president in 1978. He was sworn in as the 11th Chief Minister on November 27,1980. He continued his chief minister-ship though not full five years tenure for another five terms.

He became a member of Rajya Sabha in 2002 and again got elected in 2008 which ended in 2014.

(*Ava means father in Tangkhul dialect)