Manipur News

IMPHAL, December 22: The State cabinet has approved setting up of a Film City in Imphal East and to revamp Art and Culture Department by creating more posts in the department, stated Commerce and Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam.

After the cabinet meeting, Govindas Konthoujam briefing the media at his official quarter in Babupara said the Art and Culture of Manipur is unique and quite popular around the globe. It has made Manipur a well known name in the international arena of Classical dance, he added.

Manipuri dance is an important performance whenever any Indian cultural troupe performs in an international platform, he said.

The film city being setup is one of the components for revamping the Art and Culture Department and the government has decided to create more posts of the department by recruiting more staff. About 200 to 500 acres of land has been identified today, the minister said.

Another component for the Arts and Culture department, a Cultural University in the state will be set up later, he added.

The cabinet has also discussed to amend the building by-laws which previously intended to make it mandatory for every house to harvest rain water by making it compulsory to have rooftop STV power plants in newly constructed houses, he informed.

Houses which have more than 100 square meters must be equipped with STV solar power panel sheets in their rooftops and the plots which have more than 1000 square metres must be equipped with STV solar power panel sheet of 1 KWP to 500 KWP respectively, he said.

The decision was taken to improve the power potential and decrease the power consumption of electricity grids, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/cabinet-approves-film-city-hints-at-introducing-new-building-construction-norms/

IMPHAL, December 21: The deputy Chief Minister, Gaikhangam who also holds the portfolio of Home minister on the concluding day of the winter Session Assembly termed the December 21 bomb blast incident in Khuyathong as an act of terrorism.

Speaking during the Calling Attention of the Session, Gaikhangam on the floor of the House came down heavily against the perpetrators of the bomb blast; maintaining that such acts are committed by people who do not have any meaningful objective. The act has been committed out of utter frustration, and it is a cowardice show of strength to the weak, he added.

He appealed to every right thinking people to join him in condemning the dastardly act.

He informed the House that a valley-based militant outfit is suspected to be involved behind the blast.

A case has been registered in this regard and investigation by his department is going on in full swing, and those found involved in the crime will be given befitting punishment according to the law of the land, he said.

Further he maintained that any individual or group who supposedly has divergent views against the government should address their grievances in a democratic manner instead choosing the path of violence.

He warned that if at all they want to challenge, they should challenge against rightful opponents, but not against the weak.

During the Calling Attention, Th Shyamkumar, MLA of Andro A/C drew the attention of the deputy CM on the non-issuance of appointment letters to the 315 selected ASIs.

In his reply, Gaikhangam pointed out that the Home Department is taking extra care and is rechecking documents submitted by the candidates, especially the certificates acquired from various universities across the country.

He assured that the scrutiny of the documents will be completed by January next year to enable the candidates to start training schedule.

Kh Joykishan, MLA of Thangmeiband A/C during Question Hour enquired whether there are any instances of the Police not taking up any action even though FIRs have been filed. He said there have been complaints from the public in this regard.

In his reply, Gaikhangam said that there are no such cases in the functioning of the Police. He informed the House that from 2012 to 2014, there have been 17736 FIR cases, from which 1324 have been charge sheeted and 9679 withdrawn.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/dy-cm-reiterates-bomb-blast-is-act-of-terrorism/

IMPHAL, December 22: The State cabinet has given the approval for upgrading eleven government High Schools to Higher Secondary Schools and to provide priorities to local people while recruiting contract lecturers for selected higher secondary schools on a permanent posting basis.

The selected eleven government High Schools which the Cabinet has approved to upgrade into Higher Secondary schools are Chapikarong Government High School, Sagang Government High School, Thalon Government High School, Parbung Government High School, Sagolmang

Government High School of Imphal East, Gelnel Government High School at Kangpokpi, Langmei Government High School at Tamei, Churachandpur Government High School, Nungba Government High School, Kangvai Government High School and Azad Government High School.

The Cabinet has also approved new post creation for those schools newly upgraded into Higher Secondary Schools. The government has also allowed new post creation for Principals and Vice-Principals only through an MPSC examination. During recruiting lecturers for the upgraded schools, educated local people eligible for the post and who are meritorious will be given first priorities.

The government`™s decision of recruiting local people was taken with the intension of creating an educational atmosphere in rural and remote areas and so that the posting of those lecturers might not be affected by further transfers to other places except their local areas in the future. The decision to upgrade High Schools in remote areas to Higher Secondary Schools were taken in consideration of those students who left their places in pursuit of higher studies after matriculation in remote and rural areas. The government intends to create a Knowledge hub in the hills and remote areas for poor students who after passing their Tenth and Twelfth exams couldn`™t continue further higher studies in towns and cities.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/cabinet-approves-to-upgrade-11-govt-high-schools-into-higher-secondary-schools/

IMPHAL, December 22: The State cabinet has decided to give Rs 5 lakhs each to the families of those persons who were killed in the Khuyathong bomb blast on Sunday and Rs. 1 lakh each to those critically injured in the blast, said Commerce and Industries minister Govindas Konthoujam.

He was briefing the media after attending a Cabinet meeting in the official chamber of the Chief Minister this evening.

The Cabinet strongly condemns the bomb blast yesterday which left three non-locals dead and several others critically injured, he said, adding it appealed to the people of Manipur to co-operate with the government in taking up measures to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

Later, the Cabinet held discussions on the lack of manpower in the Manipur Disaster Response Force which prevents it from performing its duties. As of now, the State fire and emergency services are the first to respond when any natural disasters occurs in the State.

The Cabinet also agreed to strengthen the manpower in government libraries through a recruitment process for strengthening libraries at the ADC, District, Sub-Divisional and Block head quarters of hill districts level as libraries there are facing lack of manpower and have become defunct, he said.

Besides, students have been demanding to provide libraries in the hill districts, he added.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/12/rs-5-lakhs-for-khoyathong-blast-victims-rs-1-lakh-for-wounded/