ATSUM to inspect MI schemes
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2016:
The All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) will organise a field visit to the sites of 165 completed MI schemes and 99 ongoing new MI schemes along with media persons soon to ensure that the failure and incompetence of the MI Department is witnessed by all citizens of the country.
In a statement, information and publicity secretary of ATSUM, Micah Kamei said, irked by alleged mal-administration and non-implementation of Centrally sponsored schemes under Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India in the State, ATSUM conducted an independent survey in July 2015 to ascertain the complaints from various local organisations and village chiefs.
It is pathetic that all the work sites encompassing 165 MI schemes and 99 ongoing schemes under Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme (AIBP) sanctioned by the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India were not executed and even those few constructed works were also found to be of a sub-standard quality, it said.
Under such circumstances, the ATSUM requested the authority concerned to initiate immediate action on the erring officials responsible for misappropriation of funds mean for implementation of the 165 irrigation schemes and 99 ongoing MI schemes under AIBP sanctioned by the Ministry of Water Resources, Govt of India in a missive despatched to the office of the Principal Secretary, MI, Manipur.
To the dismay of the ATSUM, no tangible solution has been brought about to reach the targeted cultivators both in the valley and hills.
Completion report on papers being a culture in Manipur, utilization certificates for the same must have been issued and proposals submitted for more funds, it said.
ATSUM as an apex body of the hill districts is perturbed to witness on record that all the Centrally sponsored schemes are meant only for legislators and their cohorts.
Its constructive argument is to stop asking for more funds if it doesn't reach the targeted cultivators or serve the objectives of such mega projects, ATSUM said.
Further, the High Court of Manipur issued a writ directing Union Ministry of Water Resources, Govt of India and the Manipur State Government to conduct a joint enquiry on the said complaint vide PIL No 23 of 2015, it added.
Left with no other means to register the grievances of the innocent tribal populace, ATSUM will organise a field visit to the sites of 165 completed MI schemes and 99 ongoing New MI schemes along with State and National media persons to ensure that the failure and incompetence of the MI Department is witnessed by all citizens of the country.
Further, ATSUM will urge the Union Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India to conduct enquiry and book the erring officials at the earliest.
Failing which, ATSUM will resort to its own course of action until the demands are met.