Manipur News

IMPHAL, Jan 25: The chief minister of the state O Ibobi Singh has greeted the people of the state on the occassion of the Republic Day of the country.

The CM further added that India completed 64 years of becoming a republic under the Indian Constitution and the country is celebrating its 65th Republic Day amidst much joy and happiness.

A statement of the CM said that India is the biggest democratic country in the world adding that the prize for it must go to the political scholars, freedom fighters, the people of the country and also the army.

It is the Constitution of India which guarantees its diversified people to harmoniously live together across the country.

Despite the people of the country not experiencing financial freedom in the last six decades, the economic growth rate soars to certain extent and also the production food grains and literary rate across the country inclines dramatically. In addition to it, the present government is committed to alleviate the poor people and for this purpose, different schemes have been commissioned. For this purpose, the people of the state to extend cooperation to government so that the goal of the country could be achieved in time, CM appeals.

The CM has also expressed shock over the continuing atrocities against women in the state.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/cms-rday-greeting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cms-rday-greeting

IMPHAL, January 25: The Manipur State Rural Road Development Agency (MSRRDA) has deviated from the Central Public Works Department norms while inviting tender from intending contractors for execution of works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

The allegation was today made by Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) in a press statement.

Further conveying that the SBD norms permit the contractors applying tender at the minus amount compromising the actual tender amount for execution of works which would be great loss for the entire State and it is not the interest of the people who are supposed to be benefitted by the execution of works, it said.

This is clear violation of CPWD norms therefore any contractors who proposed to execute works with minus amount than the actual tender inviting amount is nothing but to hijack of public money without actual execution of works, it said and adding that when the tender for execution of works is estimated at certain amount but proposed by contractors to execute works with minus amount indicates something suspicious design in collusion with scrupulous engineers because no contractors will surrender his personal money to complete any works other than to get profit from the works.

Therefore, those contractors proposed with minus amount to execute works deserves disqualification and their names be cancelled from the race of tender bidding. Various PMGSY packages so far implemented in the past has greatly benefitted to contractors with deficit for people apart from contractors executing works are most of them sub contractors actually hiring the name of some special contractors. Most of the PMGSY works are not commensurate to amount and the concern authority needs proper monitoring. Investigation into all the PMGSY works viz-a-viz contractors assets would expose huge financial mismanagement and exhaustion of public money without accountability, it said.

Incapability of State engineering cell of MSRRDA would expose if contractors who proposed to execute works with minus amount are allowed. The Zeliangrong Youth Front will not allow such contractors who have no concern for development other than for his personal gain in the name of execution of development works to execute works in Zeliangrong areas, it said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/msrrda-deviating-from-cpwd-norms-zyf/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=msrrda-deviating-from-cpwd-norms-zyf

IMPHAL, January 25: Kuki Inpi,Saikhul and locals clubs of Ishikha and Yumnam Khonou have demanded the safe release of two masons, abducted from New Boljang village on January 22 within 36 hours.

At a press conference organised by Kuki Inpi, Saikhul, Student Club,Yumnam Khonou, Ishikha Youth Development Club and Ishikha Chanura Marup, M. Ramesh, Advisor of Student Club, said, “  The masons  identified as Thangjam Dilip, 40, son of (L)Leibak Macha of Yumnam Khonou and Oinam Karon, 55, son of (L) Thambalmacha of Ishikha, engaged in road construction along the Imphal Saikul under the Prime Minsiter Gram Sadak Yojana were abducted by suspected Kuki miilitants on Jan, 22 around 6.30 pm from Khola.”

Appealing for the quick release of the masons without any conditions, he requested the cessation of such abductions for ransom.

Meanwhile, Tangkham Lupheng, president of Kuki Inpi, Saikhul, said, “ Suspected  Kuki insurgents  have been abducting masons engaged in the development work of the Saikhul area for many months even before Christmas. We condemn such kidnappings for ransom.”

“We have organised sit-in-protests in various occasions for the quick release of the abducted masons for the last few days. We have been appealing to stop this abduction of the innocent masons engaged in developmental work along the Imphal Saikhul Road.”

Continuing further, he said that they strongly condemned the act of this armed abductors and appealed for the quick and safe release of the two masons within 36 hours.

“A mass meeting of the locals of Saikhul and Sagolmang area will be held at Sagolmang Irema Lampak on January 27 to discuss such kidnapping incidents”, he informed.

Adding further, he said that the meeting will not only discuss the various abduction cases along the Imphal Saikhul road but also about measures to prevent such incidents in the area. The meeting will also pass a resolution to fight collectively against those who carried out such unwanted activities along the road.

“We appeal to the state home department to look after the security of the people residing along the road as the people along the road are not secure even if the state police and para military force are deployed in various areas,” he concluded.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/civil-societies-condemn-abduction-of-masons/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=civil-societies-condemn-abduction-of-masons

CHANDEL, January 25: Under the scheme of Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund, the Chandel District Health department distributed account payee cheques to ten beneficiaries hailing from four blocks of the district during a simple function held at the district Hospital.

The function was also attended by MLA 41 A/C Chandel St Nunghlung Victor, deputy commissioner, Chandel Th Chittaranjan Singh and chief medical officer Dr S Ibomcha Singh.

Chairperson of District Hospital Management Committee Hb Kobor in his keynote address said Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund was launched in the district in October 2013 with a total sum of Rs 20 lakhs.

Speaking on the salient features of the scheme, Kobor stated that the scheme provides financial assistance to the poor patients of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, who are suffering from life threatening diseases for their treatment.

Patients belonging to BPL and a domicile of Manipur may furnish income certificates fulfilling BPL criteria countersigned by an officer not below the rank of SDO if BPL card is not available at the time of application for the scheme.

Retired govt. employees are also eligible to apply subject to fulfilling the income criteria.

The chairperson further stated treatment should be at JNIMS Porompat; RIMS, Lamphelpat; District Hospitals of Manipur; private hospitals or diagnostic centres empanelled by the state govt.

Only one-time grant with a ceiling of Rs 1.5 lakhs is available to a patient, he said.

Elaborating on how to apply for the scheme, Kobor said the duly filled up application III, certificates A/B, BPL income certificates, affidavit, and domicile certificate along with the expenditure receipts countersigned by the medical superintendent, should be submitted to the director or the chief medical officer of the concerned districts by the patient or the family.

He also said that a sum of Rs 50 thousand could be sanctioned by the district authority while another amount above Rs 50 thousand will be processed at the state level.

He also went on to inform that 3800 mosquito-nets, provided to NRHM Chandel by the State Health Mission Director for distribution to pregnant women as main targeted beneficiary would be distributed under the supervision of district malaria officer, Chandel and NRHM/Chandel.

MLA St Nunghlung Victor; DC Chandel Th Chittaranjan Singh and CMO Dr S Ibomcha Singh handed the cheques to the beneficiaries.

After the function, the MLA accompanied by DC Chandel inspected the existing infrastructure of the hospital.

Briefing the media, the MLA expressed regret on the part of the Manipur Development Society (MDS) for disappearing from their assurance to provide 15 lakhs for management of operation theatre and at the same time denounced the stay order of two doctors who were supposed to join the district hospital.

Terming it ‘unfortunate’, the MLA has drawn the attention of the government and the concerned minister to look into the matter and take steps for development of the only health care centre in the district.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/bpl-patients-offered-assistance-under-msia-fund/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bpl-patients-offered-assistance-under-msia-fund

IMPHAL, January 25 (NNN): All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) after a thread bare discussion today at the residence of Tongpu Kipgen its advisor, who is also the president of All Manipur Tribal Chiefs Forum, decided to support All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) on its chater of demands to the government of Manipur.

“As we found the chater of demands genuine by going through the list and also analysed them to be impactually related to tribal socio-economy and development, we decided to stand by ATSUM,” Romeo Bungdon who is the general secretary of AMTU stated.

AMTU then pointed out that the tribal population in Manipur has increased very much, as such even 38% of job reservation in feasible thereof.

“It is regretted that such constitutional privilege had been denied for so long by Manipur government and we dare to name it anachronism,” it stated.

On Friday, ATSUM-Tombing group had expressed its resentment regarding the piecemeal recruitment drive in the state government departments and cancellation of recruitment process in the Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

On November 25 last year, chief minister O Ibobi Singh had assured the tribal students` body to fill up all the backlog posts in every department by a special recruitment drive for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and that every department in the state government is expected to be responsive in every respect to poise an equilibrium in reservation policy and its implementation. However, the Manipur Legislative Assembly Secretariat had issued recruitment notification dated Imphal, January 16, 2014 inviting application from the intending candidates for appointment to various categories of post in contrast with the assurance of filling up backlog posts in every department by a special recruitment drive for ST.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/01/amtu-assures-support-to-atsum-demands/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=amtu-assures-support-to-atsum-demands