Mail News Service
Imphal, Nov 11: The United Naga Council has alleged that allotment of funds for Check drawal authority under the PWD was not done well as Chandel, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts were omitted and insignificant amount provided for Senapati district.
It said to Bridge Division Rs 0.47 crores was sanctioned, to Imphal East Division Rs 0.68 crores given, to Imphal West Division, Rs. 1.19 crores, to Highway South Division Rs. 1.07 crores, to Bishnupur Division Rs. 0.81 crores given, to Thoubal Division Rs 1.49 crores given, to Jiribam , Chandel , Tamenglong and Ukhrul Rs 0 sanctioned. Churachandpur division was given Rs 1.24 crores, Sadar Hills division given Rs 1.55 crores and Senapati division Rs 0.72 crores given.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur solemnly declares on the 10th November, 2012 that the State Government is committed to the development of the hill districts in view of their special needs while addressing some students at Senapati. But the figures above speaks volume of the disparity.
People can never expect a fair deal now or in the future from the Government of Manipur. There are seven Divisions for the mere 2238 sq kms of the four valley districts and only six Divisions for the five hill districts of 20089 sq kms. Tribal population which is 41% of the state’s total has only 20 MLAs who represent an average electorate of 34,180 each while the 40 MLAs from the valley represents an average of only 25,575 electorates and just 58% of the population. The victimisations and suppression that arises from this skewed and engineered arrangement is across the board – be it with bureaucrats, professionals or other employees, contractors & businessmen, development, education, sports, employment. In the name of law and order every function is shut down in the hills and the development of the hills takes place in the valley where normalcy reigns with more than 20-30 armed groups.
The only option is the peaceful parting of ways in good neighbourliness it said. It is not narrow or parochial politics and the tribals of the state in general will remain silent in the face of this stark reality only to their own peril. Every Naga, where ever they are positioned must therefore take up ownership of the movement for securing an alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur pending settlement of the government and NSCN(IM) issue.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/unc-alleges-disparity-in-pwd-fund-allocation/
