Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 18 2009:
The People's Forum Nungba Kendra has urged upon Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma to extend NREGS programme beyond the stipulated five years period in the larger interest of the toiling mass living below poverty line and also to persuade the State Government to hold elections to the Autonomous District Councils within the current year.
In a memorandum submitted to MOS Agatha Sangma, the forum noted that of all the schemes and programmes implemented by the Govt so far, the NREGS programme was found most successful and beneficial to the poor and deprived masses in rural areas.
Decrying that the elections to the Autonomous District Councils have been kept in abeyance by the State Government since 1982, it noted that failure to District Council elections has adversely affected implementation of development policies and programmes in the remote and far flung hill areas of Manipur.
As such, the benefits of all the welfare and development programmes have failed to reach the targeted section as there are no local bodies to assist at the local level.
On the other hand, Panchayat and Municipal Council elections are conducted in the valley.