IMPHAL, Jan 5 MNS NNN: Autonomous district councils members want powers to be devolved in the real sense. The members under the aegis of Autonomous District Council Co-ordination Committee Manipur (ADCCCM), set January 11 deadline to fulfill their demands which included among others autonomy of the six autonomous district councils in the state.
\nOther demands were separate budget ,separate demand heads for each ADCs, adequate devolution of powers in respect of Central sponsored schemes in hill areas to six ADCs and adequate devolution of powers for 26 subjects provided under section 29(1) of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (Third Amendment) Act 2008.
\nAddressing a press conference Hemjathang Khongai, secretary ADCCCM, said that the four point charter of demands was submitted in the form of a memorandum to the Chief Minister O Ibobi a year back but had not been translated into work even though an assurance was given to them.
\nHe said that the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils Act 1971 was meant to give autonomy to the hill areas of the state. However, from the present scenario it seems like giving autonomy only on paper and not in action. \u201cThe Act is not followed in its light and spirit,\u201d he added.
\nThe state government has devolved a series of powers in the year 2010 and 2011 to give effect to the devolution of powers to the six ADCs in term of sub-section (1) of section 29 of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Councils (Third Amendment) Act 2008.
\nHowever, the power so devolved for district councils is ineffective without financial assistance or allocation of funds as devolved and provided in the Act. \u201cIt is found out that the 26 subjects inserted in section 29(1) of the Act, only two subjects, Tribal Affairs, Hills and Arts and Culture have been minimally reflected in the state budget, he alleged.
\nThe statutory provisions of section 29(1) of the Act were seemed to be defeated. The government needs to take positive measures in empowering the district councils, he added.
\nSection 34 and 35, part-III of the Act provided for preparation of its\u2019 own budgets by the ADCs. The budgets submitted by district councils have never been taken into consideration by the state government. As such, the councils were unable to carry out its statutory functions for the development and upliftment of the peoples at grassroots level, the ADCCCM secretary alleged.
\nOut of the 26 subjects inserted in section 29(1) of the Act, only two subjects, tribal affairs, hills and arts and culture have been minimally reflected in the state budget. The meager budgeting provision was far insufficient for taking up any development works in hill areas, he said.
\nAs an autonomous district council, allocation of separate budget and separate demand sub-head for each district council was necessary for its sustainment, maintenance and streamlining of the functionaries of district councils.
\n\u201cThe establishment, maintenance and management of schools up to class-VIII stipulated in section 29(1) of the said Act remains only on papers and not in action,\u201d he said, adding that no formal orders devolving powers, transfer of primary schools upto class-VIII or junior high schools in this regard has been issued.
\nEducation being fundamental right of citizens, the needs for community participation in ensuring adequate and quality education could not be over emphasized. \u201cIt is our firm conviction that ADC will have the major role in this regard,\u201d he said urging the government to devolve powers as provided by the Act at the earliest.
\nIf the state government fails to consider their demands within the next seven days, the ADCCCM will launch a series of democratic forms of agitations. This might follow other forms of agitations which would make headache the government, he warned.<\/p>\n\n