Manipur News

IMPHAL, August 6 NNN : Asian Development Bank (ADB) will finance Manipur road connectivity construction.
This was disclosed by Manipur minister for Works, Kh Ratankumar on Tuesday who said the road connectivity in the state will be developed soon at the cost of Rs 1,800 crore to be sponsored by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
“Transport and communication, the vital infrastructure of the state, is to develop under the South Asia Sub-Regional Economic Project, a joint venture of India, Myanmar and Thailand and that the project aimed at expanding road connectivity of the three countries with modern facilities,” Ratankumar told a press conference at his office here.
He informed that the state Government has already finalised to start development of the roads connecting Imphal, Tupul, Bishnupur, Mayang Imphal, Thoubal and Kasom Khullen under the project.
Under this project the Government will also develop Imphal-Moreh road (National-Highway-2), the greater Imphal ring-roads, and Wangjing, Heirok, Machi and Khudengthabi roads, and Imphal-Kangchup, Tamenglong, Tousem and Haflong roads, and Imphal-Ukhrul, Kamjong, Kongkhang Thana roads, and Imphal-Moirang, Wangoo, Churachandpur roads, he further informed.
He also said that a meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s office yesterday to discuss the development project to be taken up under ADB. The meeting which was chaired by the Chief Minister was attended by ministers and other officials of the state Transport Department, he said.
All the above roads will be developed on the priority basis, he informed and said that the ADB has also assured Manipur Government that more fund for development of more road connectivity in the state will be provided by the bank if proposed by the state

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/adb-to-finance-in-road-works/

Senapati, Aug 6 NNN : Factional killings among Naga militant organisations have re-surfaced in Manipur after a long lull.
Today, a cadre of NSCN-Khole-Kitovi was shot dead in Senapati district headquarters by suspected rival cadres.
Sources said self-style ‘Lieutenant Colonel’ Pfokrehe James, 55 years, hailed from NSCN-Khole-Kitovi group ( formerly called Unification) was dragged away from Senapati Bazaar Old Road area around 3:15 pm today by three gunmen and later at around 5 pm gun shots were heard. Around 5:30 pm the body of Pfokrehe James was found lying between Senapati’s Angkailongdi and Viewland Colony. Police rushed to the spot and retrieved the body.
It is said that Pfokrehe James hailed from Robunamai village under Mao-Maram subdivision of Senapati district.
Police believed that the incident is related to the factional rivalry of the NSCNs. However, it is exactly not known which group was responsible for the killing.
Meanwhile, Mao Council has strongly condemned the incident saying killing an unarmed person is an act of cowardice. The Mao Council also said Pfokrehe had come to Senapati town to participate in the crucial meeting on Census issue today.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/nscn-kk-man-killed/

UKHRUL, Aug 6 NNN : Amidst roaring protest from non-Congress political parties in Manipur against the Food Security Bill, the state government of Manipur is attempting hard to convince the people that the Bill means a huge benefit for the poor section of the society.
As part of its gear up measure, Manipur Deputy Chief Minister and Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Gaikhangam on Tuesday called for mass awareness on the Food Security Bill which is expected to benefit 75 percent of the rural population while another 50 percent of the urban population in the state.
Participating in a one day ‘state level (ST) youth convention and discussion on Food Security Bill, 2013’ organised by Manipur Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (MPYCC) at Town Hall, Ukhrul district, Gaikhangam assertively stated that states with more number of poor people will get more benefits through this food security.
He said the people need awareness on the Bill and urged all the Congress workers and the party’s frontal organizations to spread its facts.
Gaikhangam said presently the people are provided with various benefits under three different schemes—APL, BPL and AAY—but the AAY will be removed after implementation of the ordinance.
Manipur’s 23.38 lakh population of the 27.21 lakh total population will get benefits under the National Food Security Bill, 2013 which aimed at eradicating hunger and providing nutrition to women and children in the country, the Deputy Chief Minister said. This scheme will provide 5 kg foodgrains per person per month at Rs 3 per kg for rice and Rs 2 per kg for wheat.The scheme is most likely to implement in the state within three months, he said.
The Bill proposes to cover nearly 82 crore of India’s population—75 percent of the rural population and another 50 percent of the urban population—that is, nearly 60 percent of the population.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/food-security-bill-good-cong/

Imphal Aug UNA : The United Naga Council (UNC) has called a 48 hours total bandh and would be observed in Naga areas from the midnight of 11th August, 2013 to midnight of 13th August, 2013 and the Naga people will abstain from participation in the 66th Indian Independence Day celebration.
The UNC has not received a response from the Government of India (GoI) to the submission of the UNC dated 15th July, 2013 for indicating the date for the next round (6th) of tripartite talk of the GoI, Government of Manipur (GoM) and the Nagas on the demand for an alternative arrangement outside the GoM was taken up among other agenda in the meeting of the Presidential Council of the UNC held at Tahamzam on last 5th August, 2013.
The Council meeting which was also attended by all the Regional and Naga frontal organisations took strong exception to the lack of respect for the democratic process of dialogue by the GoI and the GoM which had been put in place at the instance of the GoI. While it has been placed on record by the UNC team in the tripartite talks that the GoI and the GoM must be respectful of the democratic process of dialogue and avoid delays in taking it forward, the delay in convening the 6th round of talk even after lapse of more than 5 months since the last talk, which concluded with assurance for convening the next round .

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-calls-48-hr-bandh/