Cabinet gives nod to June 30 talk on Alternative Arrangement
Chief Secretary to lead State team
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 21 2011: An official team of the State Government led by Chief Secretary will hold talks with the United Naga Council (UNC) at Senapati on June 30 while representatives of Union Home Ministry will participate in the talks as observers.

Talking to mediapersons in this connection, spokesperson of the SPF Government IFCD Minister N Biren informed that a meeting of the State Cabinet chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh today rescheduled the date for holding the deferred tripartite talks on June 30 .

During the Cabinet meeting, it was decided that the Chief Secretary would lead the team of the State Government to look into the grievances of the UNC, considering the fact that it is a civil society based in Manipur.

Commissioner (Home), Binod Kishpota and Principal Secretary (Power) LP Golmei will be the other members of the team, the spokesperson added.

Responding to a question on the arrangement for holding the talk with UNC with an official team instead of the earlier proposal of engaging a Ministerial team for the purpose, the IFCD Minister said it is to help the officials to understand the demands raised by the UNC.

Rallying for the alternative arrangement mooted by the UNC in Senapati-File photo

The memorandum that UNC had submitted to the Prime Minister has been forwarded as their demands for holding the talks.

Yet, there is still some confusion over the demands of UNC, Biren added.

It may be noted here that UNC submitted an ultimatum to the Union Home Ministry making it clear that it would withdraw from the talk if the same is not convened by June 30 .

The Government spokesperson further informed that today's Cabinet meeting recommended that the proposed recruitment of 630 Graduate teachers under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan should be carried out on the basis of 5 marks from viva voce and 95 marks from the academic records of the candidates.

It has also been recommended that beginning from the current year, a State level Teacher Eligibility Test should be conducted for those who would like to join the teaching profession.

Candidates who have passed class XII may participate in the test and the successful candidates would be given a period of 7 years for appearing in recruitment for teachers.

This annual eligibility test would be conducted by Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, the Government spokesperson explained.

On other issues that were taken up for discussion during the Cabinet meeting today, the spokesperson said that Rural Development and Panchayati Raj has been entrusted with the task of conducting a survey of the people living below poverty line in Manipur from October this year.

Accordingly, a co-ordination committee with the Chief Secretary as the chairman has also been formed.

Furthermore, the Cabinet has given its approval to release Rs 30 lakhs for payment of compensation to 72 families affected in the construction of the police training centre at Jiribam as well as another Rs 2.10 crores against standing properties and Rs 42 lakhs against payment of land compensation in connection with expansion of the road from North AOC to Minuthong.

With regard to pending compensation of Rs 3.30 crores in connection with expansion of the road from Thongnambonbi to Ningthemcha Karong, it was recommended that the amount should be taken as loan from PDA and be given to the Works Department.

The repayment, however, is to be done by the Planning Department.

With regard to the car bomb blast at ADC office complex in Khuman Lampak that left a mother and her two daughters injured, the Cabinet approved payment of Rs 2 lakhs to the mother and Rs 1 lakh each to the daughters towards meeting their medical expenses.

Moreover, the Cabinet has given its approval to creation of a post of Chief Engineer (Civil) in Power Department for a period of one year and rearrangement of two Divisional Accountants.

Today's Cabinet meeting also recommended that BRO should be entrusted for construction of the road from Aibulon to Bupailon under Thanlon sub-division at an estimated cost of Rs 6 crores, the Government spokesperson added.