BJP for National Sangai project : Finance Commission team interacts with political parties
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 08 2013 : BJP Manipur unit has urged the visiting team of 14th Finance Commission to keep Manipur as a special category State and take up a National project on Sangai.

The Finance Commission led by Chairman Dr YV Reddy today held a meeting with political parties, local bodies and trade association at Secretariat South Block before departing Imphal.

BJP State unit president Th Chaoba and other party leaders were also present at the meeting.

Later speaking to media persons at their office, BJP leaders conveyed that they submitted a six-point memorandum to the Finance Commission team.

Blaming the incumbent Congress Government for unrestrained recruitment which has resulted in a huge non-plan gap, Chaoba questioned whether the 14th Finance Commission would make necessary award to make up the gap.

From the side of BJP State unit, the party asked the team to provide monthly dietary stipend to all State, national and international players of Manipur in addition to one-time grants to some selected sports clubs, Th Chaoba conveyed.

The Finance Commission team

BJP vision document co-chairman Dr RK Ranjan informed that they highlighted the need to provide adequate fund for scientific management of Loktak lake and implementation of a national level project for preservation of Sangai found in Keibul Lamjao National Park.

Pointing out that Rajan Committee removed Manipur from the list of special category States and bracketed Manipur among developed States, the BJP team urged the Finance Commission team to bring Manipur back among the special category States, conveyed BJP core committee co-chairman Prof Gangmumei Kamei.

During the meeting, representatives of Autonomous District Councils urged Dr Reddy and his team to allot central sponsored schemes and programmes for hill districts to ADCs directly.

They also complained that even as ADCs are said to be autonomous, their autonomy is shrouded in vagueness, according to a press release issued by DIPR.

Representatives of Panchayati Raj institutions put up the issue of allotting vehicles, infrastructure development, empowerment and also the question of honorarium for Members and Executives of Panchayati Raj Institutions.

Urban local bodies too urged the Finance Commission for their empowerment, infrastructure development and filling up of vacant posts.

Representatives of Entrepreneurs and Indo-Myanmar Trade Union were also present at the meeting.