Day: March 14, 2015

IMPHAL, March 13: The Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System, JCILPS, in a press release insisted that the Assembly must not only introduce a bill to protect the indigenous peoples of the State but also pass it on March 16 when the 10th Session of the Assembly concludes.

The release said this should be the responsibility on the shoulders of all the 60 MLAs in the Assembly.

It said when Manipur was merged with India in 1949, there was a legislation that regulated transit and exit pass system, but this was discontinued. Ever since the influx into the state has been such that today migrant settlers form one third of the total population of the state. If uncontrolled, it is a foregone conclusion that the demographic balance would go in favour of settlers, it said.

It is to counter this threat to the survival of indigenous peoples that a legislation for their protection is necessary. The release likened such a legislation to one that protects the endangered Sangai`™s home, the Keibul Lamjao, ensuring the rare deer`™s survival, though extremely threatened.

The release also said the JCILPS objects to the proposal to use the term visitors to signify non locals in the proposed bill. Instead, it said terms such as Non-Manipuri, Non-Indigenous People and Migrant, would be more suitable.

It said the proposal defines `visitor` as `a person who is a citizen of India but not having a permanent residence in the state and who intends to enter the state for a lawful purpose.` This definition would legitimise settlers who entered the state after 1949 as permanent residents and they would need no permit. It also contested the use of the word permanent residents in the proposed bills.

It said the ILP movement was necessitated by the presence of over nine lakh settlers threatening to upset the demography of the state. This being the case, the JCILPS said putting the cut off year to define migrant as 1951 would be justified.

It said Manipur is a small hill state of 22,327 sq km. Of this 92 percent forms the hill districts reserved and protected for Scheduled Tribes. The remaining 8 percent is where everybody is allowed to settled as per the rights guaranteed under Article 19(1) of the Indian Constitution. The dangers in this situation is evident, it said.

It therefore said the demand for a ILP is perfectly justified.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/jcilp-insists-assembly-must-make-law-to-protect-indigenous-population/

IMPHAL, 13 February: Lamenting the recent bomb blast at Kwairamband Keithel Temporary shed near Murgee Bazar on March 11, president All Manipur Bar Association, Khaidem Mani said the state intelligence has collapsed. He was speaking at a press meet held at his office chamber at Cheirap Court Complex.

He said that the incident was highly condemnable and added that among the injured include one female advocate identified as Laishram Medhabati Devi, 48 from Kwakeithel. She is receiving her treatment from Raj Medicity said Mr Khaidem and continued that the state Government must the culprit and book according to the law of the land.

Seeking financial support from State Government for the injured victims of the recent bomb blast, he further mentioned that it seems there is no governance in the state. He continued that the CCTVs installed are not working and no culprits from many incidents in the State has been punished. No proper investigations have also been conducted.

He further charged that the government of taking upfront money for the recruitment of State security forces amounting from Rs 10 to 25 lakhs and this has brought policing to a complete collapse in the State.

`Is there any rule of law in the state?` exclaimed Mr Khaidem and said that the art of investigation is a total failure in the State as the recruitment process in the forces have never been fair. He said the government puts all the blame for all the failures to armed UGs but still there is not a single case of IPC 121/121(A) `“ waging war against government levelled against anyone.

He said that the state government does not understand decent language but only agitations and violence are heard and addressed.

Khaidem further appealed to the government to investigate the case minutely with an outcome and to extend financial support to the victims of the blast.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/total-governance-failure-charges-bar-president/

IMPHAL, March 11: Ten handloom projects are still awaiting settlement of pending expenditure issues between Central and State government, a source in the Commerce and Industries Department of Manipur said.

According to the information the project was proposed to sanction of 50 cluster development projects under North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme for Rs 2920.50 lakh.

The state has submitted the query report on November 11, 2014 but the Central government Project Approval and Monitoring committee (PAMC) meeting is awaited said the source.

Another project from the same department under the secretary, Ministry of Textile, for upgrading of 10836 primitive looms and construction worked under technology upgradation component of North Eastern Regional Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) for about Rs. 6826.69 lakhs is also pending even though State government has re-submitted the proposal on January 21.

Under the Ministry of Textile office of Development Commissioner for Handloom fund from NERTPS for Rs 165.00 lakhs for technology upgradation for handloom sector in State proposed the release of Rs. 165.00 lakhs on November 6, 2014 but the Central government is awaiting the PAMC meeting.

The proposal for sanction of one cluster projects under the Comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme for Rs 57.44 lakhs is pending though under process. The state has submitted a query on February 12, 2015 for approval from Commerce and Industries Department government of Manipur.

The proposal for the release of Rs 235.76 lakhs for consolidation of 33 numbers of cluster projects under the comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme(CHDS) which the query submitted on January 6 is under process from the Central government.

Another Rs 77.60 lakhs is also pending for the same proposal of four cluster projects under comprehensive Handloom Development scheme. In all 51 cluster Development Project under NERTPS are awaiting the release of Rs 722.18 lakhs.

The Ministry of Textile has also asked to revise another 31 group Approach Project proposal under Comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme for the release of Rs. 50 lakhs, but the DPR and State government still has not submitted the revised proposal.

A similar proposal for 347 groups approach project under the comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme also awaits the release of Rs. 46.62 lakhs. The state department has submitted query report for this on August 27, 2014 but the proposal remains still under process at Sentral ministry level, said the source.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/03/handloom-projects-stalled-pending-funding-resolution-between-state-and-central-govts/