Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 08:
Chief Minister O Ibobi who returned to Imphal today after attending the North East Investment Conference at New York and Bangkok recently has said that the main selling points stressed during the conference to attract investors were in different sectors such as horticulture, power, tourism, information technology and food processing.
Addressing media persons soon after his arrival today evening, the Chief Minister said that the potential of the State was highlighted to prospective private parties and added that if investment flows in then it would generate employment avenues as well as add to the kitty of the State's exchequer.
The Conference was jointly organised by the Ministry of DONER and Confederation of Indian Investment under the Look East Policy of the Government of India.
Claiming that his participation in the Conference was a success, the Chief Minister said that he had extended the olive branch to private entrepreneurs at Thailand to come and invest in Manipur, especially in road communication.
The response of the private companies were extremely positive, declared the Chief Minister.
Ibobi informed that there were about 400/500 State natives settled at Thailand and added that they were running successful business.
Many of them were found selling products made from raw material available in Manipur.
To a question on whether the law and order situation would not be a deterrent to potential investors, the Chief Minister said that he made it clear to the private companies, that law and order would not be a problem.
"I assured them that everything would be taken care of," he added.
On the development plans of the SPF Government, the Chief Minister said that 50 pc of all SPA funds will be reserved for the hill districts.
Once the rainy season gets over, then development works will be taken up on a war footing, assured the Chief Minister.
On Imphal and the valley areas, the Chief Minister said that plans are afoot to repair and construct news roads and added that the Airport Authority of India has asked the State Government to take up steps by December this year to make night landing facilities available at Tulihal airport.
Answering a query on the frequent imposition of bandhs and blockades on the National Highways, Ibobi said that efforts are on to take recourse to legal steps to neutralise such trends.
All issues can always be resolved through dialogue, he added.
A meeting with leaders of all political parties was held today to discuss the order of the Supreme Court which stayed the earlier ruling of the High Court with regard to the Delimitation exercise, said the Chief Minister and added that the meeting today was held ahead of the hearing scheduled at Supreme Court on October 12.Since the Delimitation exercise cannot be taken up on the basis of wrong information, the State Government will fight till the end against it, asserted the Chief Minister.