Imphal, July 23: Sericulture Minister Dr M Nara today informed the Assembly that the amount utilized by the Japanese funded Sericulture Project has touched the Rs 15 crore mark.

Replying to questions from Moirang AC MLA S Gopal, the Sericulture Minister said that the total amount ear marked for the Project is Rs 490.51 crores and the total amount utilized till date is Rs 15,51,05,098.The Minister said that of the total amount utilized, Rs 11 crores have been used as consultation fee.

As part of the project mulberry trees are planted at a land measuring 2,720 hectares while Eri trees are planted on 1500 hectares of land, said the Minister adding that the Project will engage 776 staff and 29,944 workers.

Stating that the project is to be taken up in two phases, the Minister informed the House that the first phase is to be completed by 2005 while the deadline for completing the second phase is 2007/08.NSDP fund: Replying to different questions raised by Thanga AC MLA S Ibohal and Moirang AC MLA S Gopal, MAHUD Minister L Nandakumar informed the House that for the period 1999-2000 and 2000-01 the Centre sanctioned an amount of Rs 110 lakh and Rs 28.74 lakh respectively under the National Slum Development Programme.

Due to the acute financial crisis gripping the State the amount has not been released by the Finance Department.

Of this total, the State Government has already released an amount of Rs 45,07,044 to the Imphal Municipal Council but the amount is yet to be received by the Council.

Encroachment: Revenue Minister E Biramani assured the House that the Government would crack down on land encroachers.

The Minister said this in reply to a question raised by Thangmeiband AC MLA Meinam Bhorot.

To another question raised by Khurai AC MLA N Bihari, the Minister said that if any land of the Ahongei LP School is allotted to any private party then the allotment order would be cancelled.

The MLA said that the land where the school stands once belonged to a private individual but the Government took over the land.

However one individual with a patta has encroached upon the land and has started building a pucca structure on the land of the school, he added.

Separate HC for Manipur: Responding to a question from Thanga AC MLA S Ibohal, Law Minister L Nandakumar said that the Centre has been apprised of the State Government decision to set up a separate High Court for Manipur.

He however added that no positive response has been forthcoming from the side of the Centre.

Nandakumar said the Centre may not be too willing with the proposal to set up a separate High Court here as the case registered with the Imphal bench of the Gauhati High Court is low.

To another question raised by the MLA, the Minister said that the Government has no plan to set up a third District/Session Court at Bishnupur district.

Moirang INA: To a question from Keishamthong AC MLA, L Ibomcha, Art and Culture Minister Dr M Nara said that a sum of Rs 377.03 lakhs has been sanctioned to upgrade the INA complex at Moirang.