Imphal, August 31, 2009: As a measure of tackling the fallout of the drought-like situation in the state, the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has decided to raise the daily wage of labourers under NREGS to Rs 150 against the existing Rs 81.41 and open a drought management cell in order to coordinate the working of block level and district level workers.

The decision was taken today at a meeting convened at Congress Bhawan here by the MPCC President Gaikhangam following a missive sent by AICC President Sonia Gandhi seeking the government's report on the drought-like situation.

Among others, the MPCC meeting was said to have decided to organise awareness programme for farmers, to open drought management cell, to increase the daily wage of labourers under NREGS to Rs 150, to prevent scarcity of rice due to drought like situation, and to organise workshop for the ministers.

Further, the meeting decided to facilitate a good coordination of the government and the MPCC in this regard.

The meeting was attended by Congress MLAs, Ministers, district level and block level workers of the party.

CM O Ibobi was said to have urged the Congress workers in helping to identify the drought affected farmers of the state.

It has also been reported that the state authority has pressurised the Central to ensure that the allotted items of Public Distribution System (PDS) are reached to the end beneficiaries.

In view of likelihood scarcity of rice next year due to the drought like situation, the meeting has also reportedly decided to ensure the PDS items are distributed to the beneficiaries regularly.

Apart from thrashing out to increase the daily wage of labourers under NREGS, the meeting was also said to have made arrangement to increase the number of working days.

It also decided to ensure all works undertaken by the government are successfully implemented.

Further, the meeting decided to facilitate the conduct of the long pending district council election sooner.

The meeting was reported to have discussed the increase of personnel strength of the police at every police station in the hills.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has appealed his ministers to inform the party of the loopholes in the works implemented and yet to be implemented by the ministers in order to strengthen the relations of the SPF government and the Congress party.

MPCC Gaikhangam was also reported to have told the ministers that they should assume to maintain good rapports with the people and among the party members.

The meeting was said to be exclusively held to discuss the drought-like situation.

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