Day: June 16, 2013

IMPHAL, June 16 NNN : The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas Manipur(COPTAM) is very much concerned about the reported actions of Revenue department officials for conducting a ‘Revenue Survey’ in some hill areas/districts laying adjacent to valley districts.
According to COPTAM, the said Revenue survey is conducted in the sly without the knowledge and consent of the people living in the areas concerned.
“COPTAM has been demanding for years for maintenance of original dristrict boundaries for all the districts in Manipur. However, the state government continues to show its might by deploying several means in one way or the other for the purpose of distorting the original districts boundaries for subsequent encroachment on hill areas/ districts. If the rightful demands of COPTAM are not taken into account by the state government or fails to redress the grievances of the people then the existence of tribal people in Manipur has been reduced to a mere decoration by the state government. Therefore , unless the district bounderies issue is settled, any sort of survey cannot be done in the hill districts. For this, all concerned villagers and hill- based social organisations should always get to abort the evil polices of the state government at any cost,” COPTAM general secretary Thangkam Luphen asserted.
Regarding the alleged enforcement of Panchayati Raj institution in some hill areas under Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), the COPTAM general secretary said the state government has been time and again urged to withdraw the Panchayati Raj in the areas where ADCs are functioning for effective and transparent administration.
There are some villages in Saikul sub- division under Sadar Hills ADCs and some village in Churachanpur district which are still under the Panchayat adminstration. It is learnt that the Panchayat members of these areas are taking up some works / projects in some village with sign-boards putting up in order to show the functioning of panchayat administration in Hill areas. The ADCs are functioning in all the hill districts for any kind of development works and policies pertaning to the hill areas, COPTAM stated.
“In view of the above stated development, the Panchayat/Zilla Parishad members of these areas are informed not to undertake anykinds of activities / project in hill villages were there are ADCs. We are not against development works, but we are totally against the imposition of Panchayati Raj institution in the hill areas. This is for transparent administration and effective governance in our state,” the COPTAM leader added.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/coptam-against-land-survey/

IMPHAL, June 16 NNN: As a campaign to improve the women image and to empower them, a noble way of doing it by all-women band from five European and American countries has reached Imphal today.
Seven female artists from Israel, Denmark, Canada, Holland and USA arrived today here and they will be displaying dances, choreography and other artistic displays.
“Our acts are for the empowerment of female image through art,” said one of the artists. What prompt them to choose Manipur as their destination?
It is reported that one Suraj from Manipur came to know of these artists campaigning in Himachal Pradesh. Suraj contacted them and that is how these artists landed up in Manipur. The artists are on world tour. During their short stay in Manipur they will show different forms of artistic display. And in the same time, the visiting artists will also attempt to learn the various forms of art of Manipur including Thang-Ta ( Manipuri art of Fencing) which will in turn be shown to other countries.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/european-women-band-to-perform-in-imphal/

President AMEA S. Rishikumar said, ‘Manipur, a state with rich natural and human resources can be utilised in a positive way to boost up state economy but due to the negligence in the Industrial sector over last 6 decades, because of this Manipur still remain industrially backward. It is matter of discouragement that only one percent of the Gross Domestic Product of Manipur is accounted for by the contribution of registered industrial units. The above mention contribution is due to various factors including lack of infra-structures and geographical land lock. The Industrial sector became stagnant and unable to accelerate which affects the whole development scenario of the state i.e. in the field of income, unemployment and also in upbringing the new entrepreneurs. So the State Government should take stronger plans to develop new entrepreneur by strengthening all its wings including its state finance corporation and infra-structure development agencies. New entrepreneurs or educated potential youths are unable to get loan and other benefits since long back. Up growing entrepreneurs are hesitate to take risk as the State is thoroughly exhausted by insurgency, bands, blockades, etc. As entrepreneurs are the creator of the wealth, it is highly needed that the youth should be encouraged to become entrepreneurs and more number of entrepreneurs to set up their own enterprises in different tracks. Opportunities should be given to our young entrepreneur by giving loan facilities. The one and only state finance corporation, Manipur Industrial Development Corporation (MANIDCO) has defunct for over more than 2 decades and stop financing to entrepreneurs since 1991 which results to the degeneration of the industrial development and also discouragement of the entrepreneur. The big ones have been close while the small ones are getting crippled. So revival of MANIDCO is the need of the hour for development of industries and to boost the state economy. The state government should take initiative and immediate action with a strong political will to developed industries in the State. MANIDCO has due to pay 5 Crores to SIDBI and 2.95 Crores to IDBI. So due to the non payment of the dues since long back SIDBI/ IDBI has stopped financing to MANIDCO therefore, State Government should arrange fund for payment of SIDBI’s outstanding Rs.5 crore without further delay, so that, SIDBI/ IDBI may start release of fund further more for refinance of our entrepreneurs through MANIDCO’.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/all-manipur-entrepreneursassociation-feels-industry-neglected/

Mail News Service
Imphal, June 16 : The Heitroipokpi Yairipok improved water supply scheme was inaugurated today. I. Hemochandra minister PHED, K. Meghachandra parliamentary secy. IPR, WL Hanshing IAS principal secy PHED, M. Ibomcha chief engineer PHED, Th. Nokul chairperson Yairipok Nagar Panchayat and A. Subhash Zilla Parisad graced the occasion as chief guest, president and guests of honour.
I.Hemochandra addressing the occasion said that to provide the healthy drinking water to the people of Yairipok is the duty of PHED department. We should not forget that water is life. The govt. of India is continuing to provide drinking water to the people of rural areas under different schemes and water treatment plants. We should properly use such water schemes as they are our assets.
The minister is for the whole state and he should not think for only his constituency. The minister should do what he promised to the people. He appealed the public to keep need and clean the source of water and to pay the tax of water regularly.
K. Meghachandra said that the water supply scheme can solved the shortage of water at the area. The Itok dam of Yairipok will finish soon. The said dam if completed will provide enough water to the water supply schemes and water plants and will use at double cropping. The Yairipok Singa water supply scheme under multi sectoral development programme is under progress. It should be completed soon. There will be the problem of water at Yairipok. The above schemes provided water to the three localities of Yairipok namely Khoirom, Leirongthel and Kekru. The above schemes were started construction on Decemeber 2006 under the national rural drinking water project and completed on April 26, 2013. It costs Rs. 69.47 lacs. It can provide drinking water to the 7667 people and can provide water to the 10,000 people by 2021. The reservoir capacity is 2.7 lacs of litres per day. The main source of water is Thoubal river and Thoubal main canal. Two electric pumps of 25 HP and 15 HP will use for the water plants.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/water-supply-scheme-inaugurated/