Thanksgiving ceremony for Kamjong district held ; Manipur is for everyone, we are one : CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 29 2016: "Manipur is for everyone, we all are one and we should have the sense of belongingness", Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said at the Thanksgiving ceremony for creation of Kamjong district held at the Tribal Research Institute (TRI), Chingmeirong, today under the aegis of the District Administration Kamjong.

Attending as the chief guest, the Chief Minister said the decision to form seven new districts was not to gain political mileage in view of the upcoming Manipur Legislative Assembly Election.

Certain sections of people are against this step and it is very unfortunate, said the Chief Minister and added that the new districts were carved out of the existing larger districts purely for administrative conveniences and is not against any community or organization.

Not an inch of land has been sold off to any State or neighbouring country, he said.

Thanksgiving ceremony for Kamjong district held

Creating new districts will provide equal opportunity to all the citizens of the State as there would be easy accessibility, the CM said adding that the creation of new districts is just one step towards development.

Much work needs to be done at the district level.

The State Government with its plan to bring equal development in both the hills and valley under the 'Inclusive Infrastructure Development in Hill areas', has now constructed SDO and BDO blocks in 27 different sub-divisions.

To bring all round development, the public should extend their fullest support and co-operation to the State Government, Ibobi stated.

The State Government has been working to remove communication and transportation bottleneck in the hills.

Manipur is among the top States in the country which is performing extremely well under the PMGSY scheme with over 70 to 80 percent of the funds devoted to developing road connectivity in the hills, he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam who was the functional president said the gratitude shown towards the State Government testifies that people are ready to walk towards development and progress.

Certain sections of people with vested interest have been feeding false information to the innocent public that the State Government is not bringing any development to the hills of Manipur.

Now people can see all the developmental works taken up in the last 15 years, he said adding, "Creating seven new districts will facilitate fast pace development in all sectors and departments" .

Further, he said that carving new districts will bring development with effective and efficient administration and will remove the dirty politics of divide and rule, a card long played by people who are against development.

"When there is development, there will be no place for people with bad interest and no force can stop development and truth will prevail," Gaikhangam said.

The State has seen tremendous change in the last 15 years in all sectors be it infrastructure, power, water etc, he said and added that the State Government will continue to bring all round development.

"It will be pointless to assume that a new Government will be formed after the 2017 Manipur Legislative Assembly Election.

The Congress Government will return next year to bring all forms of development," Gaikhangam said while appealing to the people to shower their blessings and support to the Government.

Former Chief Minister and former Rajya Sabha MP Dr Rishang Keishing who attended as the guest of honour said no community should try to incite violence among one another.

All ethnic communities have been living here in Manipur for many centuries and no force should try to break the intricate relation.

When one group of people work for their own group or community, tension is created and such acts are the handiworks of trouble mongers trying to tear apart the State.

Such acts will not last long as it is against humanity, Rishang Keishing said while urging the people of the State to stand united.

In connection with the Thanksgiving ceremony, four developmental projects were dedicated to the people of Kamjong district.

The developmental projects included, Tribal Inclusive Infrastructure Projects at Phungyar and Kasom Khullen; Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Phungyar and Eklayavas Model Residential School at Kamjong.

Revenue and Law Minister I Hemochandra Singh, PHED, Labour and Employment Minister T Manga Vaiphei, Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujam, Social Welfare Minister AK Mirabai Devi, Parliamentary Secretary (Tribal Affairs and Hills and IT) Victor Keishing, also attended as guests of honour.

The DC of the newly created Kamjong District Armstrong Pame, top officials of district administration, chief and people of Kamjong also attended the function.