Dr Ranjan stresses on maintaining financial discipline
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, April 19 2022:
A meeting of District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA), Imphal East was convened at Panchayat Bhavan, Imphal East DC complex on Tuesday.
The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education RK Ranjan, who is also the chairman of DISHA.
Imphal East DC Kh Diana; Imphal East adhyaksha P Bimola; Kshetrigao AC MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan and Lamlai AC MLA Kh Ibomcha attended as the presidium members, along with district officers of various departments.
Presentations were given on the schemes being undertaken in the district, including the inconveniences faced.
In his closing remarks, Dr Ranjan praised PM Narendra Modi for his long term vision, adding that all the social welfare schemes introduced by him (PM) are highly compatible and inclusive.
He then said that collective efforts in implementing the schemes would help in attaining the target set.
The Union MoS further said that a detailed data analysis will help ascertain whether the departments are functioning properly or not, and none of this can be manipulated.
For the system to work for long there is the need for a good data management.
The meeting has highlighted lack of coordination and communication between the departments at district, sub-division and block levels and as such, efforts need to be made to resolve this issue at the earliest.
Observing the centre's lack of trust in Manipur owing to lack of financial discipline and administrative cooperation, Dr Ranjan remarked that majority of the schemes are sponsored by the centre with the state government bearing minimal cost of project.
The budget for the state, during the time of the erstwhile Planning Commission, was allocated in accordance to the state's requirement.
However, under Niti Aayog, priority is given on the targeted work to be done and uplift of the same.
There is no system of requesting the PM to increase the fund.
Thus, the required works to be done will be in tune with the regional structure of the state, he said.
On the matter of resource sharing, Dr Ranjan pointed out that there is almost no revenue generation for the state.
If the few taxes were regarded to be the state's resources, the centre will gradually stop releasing development funds for the state, under the assumption that the funds no longer have any value.
This should be prevented at all cost, he stressed.
Dr Ranjan then highlighted PM Modi's vision of 'District Amagi Product Ama' (One district, One product).
As such, he urged DC Imphal East to identify the "one" specific product for the district, if it has not been done so, while adding that this should be set as a target if we are to increase the economic standard of the people in the district.
Although it is not easy to brainstorm the matter for now, the focus should be on ascertaining whether the various schemes and programmes meant for Imphal East district are being delivered to the people or not, he said.
The MoS then remarked that many good suggestions have been made by the officials during the meeting and thus, assured of seeing which can be put into action.
He also urged the officials to give more free and frank opinions in subsequent DISHA meeting, while expressing belief that the different schemes taken up in the district will attain their respective targets.
He also appreciated the attendance of the tw'o MLAs during the meeting, while urging all concerned including ministers and MLAs to inform beforehand if they are unable to attend the meetings.