Day: October 29, 2012

Mail News Service NNN
Imphal, Oct 29 : Mera Hou Chongba a festival of unity was celebrated participated by all the communities settled in Manipur. The age old celebration was marked with exchange of gifts between different communities.
The function began with a colourful rally taken out from Kangla in the afternoon participated by representatives of different communities settled in Manipur attired in their traditional dresses.
The festival reminds us of love , brotherhood and unity among the people of the hills and the plains and the festival earlier celebrated at Kangla where people from different communities dine together and celebrate.
The main function of the festival was held at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound in Imphal. The celebration was jointly organized under the auspices of Mera Houchongba Thoushil Lup, Sana Konung and Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN).
Earlier in the morning, the religious function of Mera Mentongba and Yenkhongtamba, part of the festival were also held at Kangla fort before the main function at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen began.
Titular king of Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba expressed disappointment over the sharp decline of participation of the hill people in the Mera Houchongba festival and pointed out politics as the main reason behind it.
Leishemba Sanajaoba was speaking on the occasion during which he also stated that the extensive drop in number of participants from the hills of the state has created a bad feeling over a possible ending of the age-old practice.
He further made a strong appeal to the people to consider the festival as a non-political festival as long as the co-existence of the hill and the valley continues to survive.King Sanajaoba reminisced that in the distance past that the hill people would invite the valley people in the hill and enjoy ‘Mera Chakkouba’ after the latter invited to the Mera Houchongba. It was also a tradition to present gifts to the valley by the hill.
He said this tradition has no longer existed now and expressed his strong desire to revive it. However, he said he feels frustrated to learn that participation of the hill brethren in Mera Houchongba festival has extensively declined and cited many reasons, primarily politics in pointing out the real reasons behind it. Such decrease in the participation has created a fear of a possible abolition of the festival, Sanajaoba said.
People from the hills including the village heads from the districts like Senapati, Chandel and Ukhrul attended on the occasion. Exchange of gifts between the people of the hills and the valley was the main highlight of the festival. Eye-catching cultural performances of songs and dances of various ethnic groups enthralled the gathering.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/call-for-unity-echoes-during-mera-hou-chongba-celebrations/

Mail News Service
Imphal, Oct 29 : A three day long Public Information Campaign on the flagship programmes of the Central Government will be held at Mini Secretariat Multi Purpose Hall, Ukhrul from 1st November 2012.
The main highlight of the campaign are creation of awareness among the public on the flagship programmes like National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA), National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS), Rural Road, Rural Drinking Water Supply, Rural Housing (Indira Awaj Yojna), Rural Telephony, Total Sanitation Campaign, Integrated Child development Services (ICDS), Right to Information Act., Pension Scheme and Forest development etc.
On the first day, Integrated Child Development Services Scheme (ICDS), Rural Telephony, National Rural Health Mission, on the second day, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Health Mission (MGNRHM), Rural Housing (Indira Awaj Yojna), Total Sanitation Campaign, Rural Drinking Water Supply, Forest, Pension, Rural Road and last day, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan, Mid Day Meal and Right to Information Act will be explained by the experts from the concerned departments.
Public may interact after the speech. Public quiz will be followed after the speech.
A one day free medical camp will also be held on 2nd November, 2012 from 10.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at the venue as part of be campaign.
Seventeen departments will display their office activities to put up exhibition stalls. Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), Government of India, Imphal will display 600 sq. ft. photo exhibition on the theme initiative development in the North East.
Song and Drama Division (S&DD), Government of India, Imphal will perform theme based entertainment programmes in the form of song, dance, drama and martial art.Directorate of Field Publicity (DFP), Government of India, Ukhrul and Senapati Units, organized field programmes since 27th October, 2012 up to end of the PIC in different villages in Ukhrul district.
It will be jointly organized by Press Information Bureau (PIB), All India Radio (AIR), Door Darshan Kendra (DDK), DAVP, DFP, S&DD, in collaboration with different departments, Government of Manipur and Government of India, Clubs, NGOs, Churches of Ukhrul district under the sponsorship of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, New Delhi.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/bharat-nirman-campaign-to-be-held-in-ukhrul/

IMPHAL, Oct 29 MNS NNN: Saying Panchayati Raj Institute (PRI) plays the most important role in bringing development for rural community of the country, Manipur Home Minister Gaikgangam today appealed to all the newly elected Panchayat members to work sincerely to uplift the life of the community.
Gaikhangam was attending a function of the reception-cum 1st meeting of general body (special) of the newly elected members of Panchayati Raj Institute organized by Manipur State Panchayat Parishad (MSPP) at Manipur Panchayat Bhavan, Porompat, Imphal.
Saying that India is made up of 80 percent of rural communities, the Home Minister said it would be urbanized only when these communities are developed.
Even though the country has enters its 60 years of independence it has not been able to follow the principles advocated by Mahatma Gandhi, the Home Minister expressed discontentment adding the idea of Gandhi emphasizing on developing the village life and giving power to the rural people is still dragging on.
He admitted different tasks are handed to the people’s representatives to bring development under Local Self-Governments like District Council, Nagar Panchayat, Imphal Municipal Council and Panchayat at the grass root level to uplift the people.
Gaikhangam also informed a state level convention to be participated by the local bodies will be held soon. General Secretary of All India Youth Congress Rahul Gandhi will also take part it, he added.
Francia Ngajokpa, minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj also took part at the function. He called for cent percent implementation of their tasks by all the newly elected Panchayat members and fulfillment of all the benefits to the people.
At the function, three-time elected Panchyat members were presented with simple gifts as a mark of encouragement.
Besides Gaikhangam and Ngajokpa, SS Vijay Mishra, Secretary General, All India Panchayat Parishad and Prof Mehendro, Chief Advisor, MSPP among others also attended the function.
Polls to the Manipur 4th Panchayat were held on September 13 in the districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Bishnupur.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/strengthen-panchayat-bodies-hm/