Money, Jiribam ITIs in pathetic condition: Congress
Sub par matlrials used in ongoing construction of Noney ITI
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 25 2022:
The Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in Noney and Jiribam districts are in pathetic condition while the ongoing construction of Noney ITI is not in conformity with the prescribed guidelines, contended Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) general secretary Th Saratchandra.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan here on Tuesday, Saratchandra said that ITIs are institutes for providing skill training in different industrial sectors ranging from small scale industries to large units.
There are 11 ITIs in the state and they have been set up to enhance capacity of youth so that they could set up their own enterprises or join service in either government or private sectors.
Unfortunately, most of the ITIs in the state exist just for namesake.
Upon getting information about stalling of construe tion work on Noney ITI, a team of MPCC leaders went there on Monday to take stock of the ground situation.
The ITI was found in a very remote location with no accessible road except for a nearly 3 km long muddy trail with overgrown vegetation.
People in the area told the MPCC team that construction work on the ITI began from 2021 but the foundation stone laying plaque read that chief minister laid the foundation stone on June 13, 2022.The project cost is Rs 9.5 crore according to the plaque.
Surprisingly, only four iron rods of 12 mm were found used in each pillar in total violation of the build ing specifications.
Manipur is an earthquake prone area since it lies in the seismic zone 5, and Noney had experienced major earthquake in the recent years.
Despite being in the danger zone, the work agency is using sub-par construction materials thereby posing threat to the lives of those, who would be working and studying in the institute, Saratchandra said.
Informing that Manipur Tribal Development Corporation (MTDC) is the work agency for the ITI, he enquired if MTDC engineers are monitoring the construction work at all and demanded the government to investigate the matter and take up appropriate actions against those involved in the fund misappropriation.
On the other hand, the MPCC team went to Jiribam ITI during their visit and found the Imphal-Jiribam national highway in a deplorable state.
It is rather ridiculous that the government is claiming of developing world class national highway from the comfort of their office while the ground reality is totally different, the general secretary maintained.
Jiribam ITI was constructed at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore by the Congress government in 2012 .
However, the institute is lying unutilised, collecting dusts and wastes.
In the absence of teaching and non-teaching staff, the institute has become a big shed for cattle, he said.
He demanded the government to improve infrastructure of the ITIs, send adequate teaching staff and make them centres for providing industrial skill training to the youth of the state.
He also demanded the government to make all the roads in the state into all-weather roads.
MPCC general secretary (administration) S Jiten, general secretary Ranjit and legal department chairman S Shyamcharan were also present at the press conference.
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