If I were the Chief Minister of Manipur

Loktongbam Thoithoi Devi *

A look inside the Assembly Building at Chingmeirong, Imphal :: Pix - Danial Chabungbam

Nowadays most of us are acquainted with the word 'Chief Minister' and we know what it means. A Chief Minister is one who rules a state. Chief Minister appoints his ministers. The state is guided by him and his ministers, but he is not a king.

If I were the Chief Minister of Manipur, I would then be able to make my country happy and prosperous. I could do much for the good of my state.

My first task would be to suppress corruption and reduce the gap between the rich and poor. These are at the root of most of the evils that afflict the state today.

People are losing faith in ability of the leaders to relieve their miseries. It is this feeling of desperation and frustration that cause frequent outbursts and prevents the people from offering the desired co-operation to the government.

I shall begin by abolishing costly offices, cutting down higher salaries and putting a curb on extravagance of all forms. Quick and exemplary punishments shall be inflicted upon the culprits for corruption, including black marketing, adulteration and profiteering, so that the evil may be rooted out from this state.

As no country can progress unless the people are educated, I shall make education free up to the secondary stage and establish adult education centres all over the state. There must be public libraries in every village and town. People shall be taught the value of co-operation and co-operative societies. Everyone in society will enjoy equal privilege and people will be judged by their merit and not by their caste.

We see that there is want of unity among the different communities of Manipur. We must all feel that we are brothers and sisters. We must not give undue importance to religion. The communal spirit must go once for all. In politics, there should be no place for religion. Every individual will be at liberty to follows his own religious belief.

To solve the problem of unemployment in the State, I shall encourage small scale and cottage industries to give employment to a greater number of people. Every effort shall also be made to solve the proble of shortage of food in the State.

I shall also establish a network of hospitals, dispensaries and clinics so that everybody must have proper medical help and advice.

Manipur is essentially an agricultural state. So, agriculture must be improved on scientific lines. There must be a network of railways, roads in the state for carrying on trade and commerce.

Political parties must not be based on religion. The form of government will be democratic. It will be my aim to see that every citizen of Manipur is properly fed, clothed, housed and educated.

Thus, my idea of being a Chief Minister will be quite different from others. People must live in peace and prosperity and free from foreign aggression.

In short, as a Chief Minister, I will try to rule in such a way that my state may become one of the first class states of the Indian nation.