Curtain down on Sangai Festival
Law & order main stumbling block in tourism development: CM
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, November 30 2013 : Amidst a plethora of colourful designs and gaiety, the ten-day long celebration of the Manipur Sangai Festival 2013 which started on November 21 concluded today at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal, leaving behind the people of Manipur with a range of hopes and dreams of better days ahead just like the warmness created by the colourful events of the celebration.

The closing function was attended by Chief Minister O.Ibobi Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, Deputy Speaker Preshow Shimray, outgoing DGP M..KDas, Additional Secretary (Tourism), Government of India Girish Shankar and Parliamentary Secretary in charge of YAS and Tourism M.Prithviraj among other dignitaries.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest, Chief Minister O.Ibobi stated that Manipur Sangai festival is an auspicious time for the people of the state as it brings them together under a common umbrella, devoid of the barriers of cast and creed discrimination.

It is a festival marked by the rich participation of different people of the districts of the state, he maintained.

Manipur Sangai Festival brings about interior peace and unity in the state apart from active participation of other foreign countries like Myanmar, China, Thailand, Germany and USA.

It is a festival which delivers the message of unity and love among the people of the state, as well as the world at large.

Continuing his speech, Ibobi said that the festival is mainly celebrated in the hope to develop the tourism sector in the state which is a crucial part in a nation's economic growth.

He believes that such initiative will boost tourism as well as economic sector in the state and will eventually improve the avenue of massive unemployment which exists among the youths in the state.

Another attraction the festival aims to give is to make the foreigners aware of the richness of the state's eco-tourism sector with many nourished tourism spots which remains hidden from the people of the world.

He believes that such step will open the gate to the other people of the world in other countries.

However, the main stumbling block in the way of development in tourism in the state is the bad condition of law and order which hampers its growth.

Manipur, being a state reeling in day-to-day crime makes tourists have second thoughts of visiting the state and hence, the growth of this sector is terribly slow as compared to other sectors, the Chief Minister admitted.

The Chief Minister appealed to all the concerned organizations and parties to check activities which are hampering eco tourism growth in the State and discouraged people from other parts of the world to visit.

If such initiatives are taken up then, tourism sector can skyrocket at a fast pace, Ibobi stated.

He also invited the concern persons responsible for causing tension in the state for discussion.

So that a win-win situation can be created between both parties seeking demands and the government concerned.

Mentioning that such step could help in the state's path towards development and create peace among the people, Ibobi said that a state's development can only be seen when there is good law and order among the people with new venues of employment and peace.

In his presidential speech, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam observed that the Sangai Festival is a platform for varied communities of the state to share and promote the particular richness present in their culture which brings the different groups together under one roof.

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