Month: February 2015

THOUBAL, feb 20: A one day district level consultation on powers and functions of elected women representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions of Thoubal CD Block was organised by the Integrated Rural Development Organisation (IRDSO), Wangjing, at the DC complex,Thoubal.

In her keynote address, secretaryof IRDSO, Nonibala Narengbam said,“India is one of the few countries in the world with a constitution that makes it mandatory for one-third of the seats in all institutions of local self-governance to be reserved for women.

The 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution which made this landmark provision has given a new dimension to the process of women empowerment with constitutional powers and responsibilities with a range of issues, she said adding, today more than expected women are in the power.

Though these provisions have increased the visibility of women in the local governance bodies,the reality shows a different picture.Several women elected are more instruments in the hands of their male family members.Deep rooted patriachel values and male domination has suppressed women voices and perspective.But, in general elected women are accelerating in occupying a space in panchayats.Women have shown a remarkable journey and the crux at present is the mindset change for a structural change on control over womens` voice and decision making process.However,it is still pitiful that numbers of women representatives are still not aware about their powers and authority entitled to them“.

She added the roles and responsibilities of women in Manipur are very evident. Women had and still have been participating in the overall socio political issues and raised their voices and bargaining for their voices to be heard in decision making.

Women representatives in the local governance have become more confident, assertive, powerful, dynamic, capable etc. Even women who were never exposed before have been inspired to become activists despite constraints like illiteracy, lack of experience, household responsibilities, restrictive social norms, victims of different forms of violence under the patriarchal structure, she added.

Today`™s function was graced by Kh.Surnalata Devi, Sdakshya, Thoubal Zilla Parishad as the chief guest, while T. Ranjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner, Thoubal distict and Ch.Renubala Devi, retd. district leprosy officer, Thoubal as president and guest of honour respectively.

In the morning session of the programme,Rakesh Meihoubam, executive director, human rights law networks spoke as resource person and in the evening an idea sharing session amongst elected women representatives of Thoubal CD block was held.

Altogether 60 women PRIs members participated in the said programme.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/constitutional-amendments-have-drawn-women-in-manipur-out-of-homes-to-be-politically-empowered/

IMPHAL, February 20: Soibam Leikai Awang Meira Paibi Choakhat Thourang Lup and family members of K Nabachandra today staged a sitting protest against the arrest and detention of K Nabachandra s/o Keithellakpam Mohon Singh of Soibam Leikai, from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

While talking to media persons K Mohon Singh father of K Nabachandra stated that his family came to learn of the incident through a news item published in a local daily published today.

Nabachandra was picked up from his residence under Mohammadpur Police Station in Dhaka by a team of Indian Intelligence sleuths and Bangladeshi police in plain clothes on February 11 at around 10 pm, Bangladesh Local Time, on the pretext of having some words with him.

He further told the media persons that the team assured to release Nabachnadra within three days time.

However, K Nabachandra remained untraceable even after eight days of his arrest and the information of his whereabouts is still not known.

Mohon Singh reiterated that the incident was absolutely against the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The act of the security personnel also violate the International Declaration on the Protection of all persons from Enforced Disappearance stated Mohon Singh.

He also said that his family firmly believes that Nabachandra might have been held by the security forces on the charge of waging war against India for the independent of Manipur.

Nabachandra left home and joined the outfit (UNLF) in 1992 and lives with his wife and two daughters at a place under Mohammad Police Station in Dhaka said K Mohon Singh.

The families of K Nabachandra and Meira Paibis strongly appealed to the concern authorities to intervene and find out the whereabouts of Nabachandra at the earliest.

A memorandum was also submitted to the director general of police, Government of Manipur, Superintendant of Police, Imphal East and Officer in Charge, Porompat PS.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/protest-held-against-disappearance-of-unlf-leader-in-bangladesh/

IMPHAL, Feb 20: The Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited has proposed to increase power tariff by 5 percent from the existing schedule, according to the Chairmen of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur and Mizoram.

The schedule was proposed to A Chhawnmawia, chairman of JERC in a public hearing held at Imphal Hotel today on a petition of the Manipur State Power Distribution Limited (MSPDL) for determination of ARR and Transmission tariff for FY 2015 and Petition of Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited for determination of ARR and retail tariff for FY 2015 in morning and evening shifts respectively.

A Chawnmawia, chairman said to media persons while interacting in the sidelines at Hotel that the new tariff for the state will be announced before March financial year. He said that today`™s proposal was submitted to him as per the petition from the distribution company of Manipur.

He said the commission do want to hear the response from the public and his department welcomes comments and suggestions from the public.

After hearing the petition and if it is reasonable, a new tariff structure will be fixed for the state. The new tariff will be fixed by JERC with the assistance of the Administration Staff College of India, Hyderabad.

During the public hearing, the Additional CE of electricity mentioned that there are 4.6 lacs households as consumers of electricity in Manipur, among them only 2.3 lacs consumer are found registered. Among them only 1.9 lacs households are resident domestic consumers.

Altogether a approximate 80 percent electric connections are illegal at the moment. To set things right, the company has started a regularization drive in the state from last one month, he said.

The expenditure on purchase of electricity by State is estimated at about Rs. 300 crores a year. This amounts to 1000 million units from outside state. Around Rs. 24 crores are spent per month on buying and we needed to collect at least Rs. 18 crores to Rs 20 crores from the consumers. This being the case, an increase of legal consumer base is very much needed, he added.

The power corporation has purposed a new tariff fixation of 5% increase from the existing tariff schedule which is lowest minimum tariff ever, he said.

In today discussion the tariff recovery mechanism, distribution system infrastructure, need for CCC (custom care centre) to work at least 5 persons 24X7 hours from the middle week of March 2015 etc, were deliberated upon.

Payment mechanism through online payment is under process in the state. This infrastructure will be completed in one or two months. The Point of Sell (POS), which is the gateway of payment, will also be expanded in the state, the deliberations concluded.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/state-electricity-corporation-proposes-to-increase-power-tariff-by-5-percent/

IMPHAL, February 20: Members of the select committee of Manipur Legislative Assembly today inspected eight different places in Churachandpur District for the proposed establishment of private university, Sangai National University.

In an aim to establish private universities in the State like other states of the North East region, Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro had tabled the bill, for establishment of a private university, in the last session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

However a select committee of the Assembly was assigned to check if anything was left out in the bill tabled.

Education Minister, Moirangthem Okendro is the chairman of the select committee and its members are PHED Minister I Hemochandra, Works Minister Dr Kh Rattankumar, Hill Areas Committee Manipur Chairman Dr Chaltonlien Amo, Manipur Pollution Control Board Chairman Dr Ng Bijoy, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi, MLA Dr Alexander Pao, MLA Samuel Risom, MLA L Ibomcha and MLA Y Surchandra.

But in today`™s inspection tour, Minister I Hemochandra, Minsiter Rattankumar and MLA Dr I Ibohalbi could not make it.

On the other hand, even thought not a member of the committee, Saikot Kendra MLA TN Haokip joined the inspection tour today.

In all 7 or 8 places in the interior part of Churachandpur were inspected during the visit today which started from morning till 1 pm.

The places which were inspected are Boljang village, Vajing village, Mongjang village, Vaison, Mata village where Khuga Dam is, Thingkhangphai, Mual Vaiphei and S Kotlien village.

According to the bill tabled, the headquarters of Sangai National University should be located in Churachandpur and its branch campuses will be opened at Moreh and other places.

Some of the places inspected today are located not far from National Highway 150, some are on top of the hills while some encompass few villages. However, the committee members expressed their desire to setup the university at a place not far from National Highway and where there would be no security concerns.

Speaking on the sideline, Education Minister Okendro informed that the total seat intake at Manipur University for postgraduate is only 1240 while Indira Gandhi National Tribal University admit only 120 students.

But on the other hand 8000 to 9000 finish their graduation from 71 colleges in which 40 are Govt and Govt Aided Colleges and 31 are Private Colleges, the Minister said.

Poor students who cannot afford to go outside the State and who failed to secure a seat at the Manipur University but who are promising students have no choice but to leave studies, he said.

In Arunachal Pradesh there are five private universities, Assam has three, Meghalaya has eight, Mizoram has one, Nagaland has two, Tripura has one and Sikkim has four, making a total of 24 private universities in the whole North East region, he said.

Manipur is the only state in the whole of North East which does not have a private university, he added.

The Minister also informed that the proposed Sangai National University will have many new subjects which the Manipur University and IGNTU does not have and will provide more room for research which can benefit the State as a whole.

All the expenses for establishing the said private university will be borne by the Higher & Technical University according to their high ranking officials, the Minister said.

The State government only has to provide potable water, electricity, telecommunication services and to make sure all the rules and regulations are followed, he said.

The Minister further informed that a registered trust named Research and Gyan for Noble Upliftment is responsible for setting up of the university. The trust has already established two universities in India. They are Manav Bharti University, Solan Himachal Pradesh and Madhav University, near Mount Abu in Rajasthan, he said.

It may be mentioned here that government is trying to pass the Sangai National University Bill, 2014 in the coming Assembly session. Cabinet meeting held on February 21 had given its consent to establish the university.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/02/assembly-select-committee-inspects-eight-sites-for-sangai-university-at-ccpur/