First instalment of livelihood support scheme soon: CM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 07 2021: Chief Minister N Biren on Wednesday said that the first instalment of the Chief Minister's COVID-19 Affected Livelihood Support Scheme would be transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries within the current month.

While inspecting the progress of the ongoing construction work of 120-foot high statue of a Sagol Kangjei (Polo) player astride a pony at Mar-jing Hills in Imphal East district after visiting a mass vaccination site at Heingang Mayai Leikai on Wednesday, the CM said that the state cabinet approved the scheme on Tuesday and under the scheme, the government would be providing direct transfer of Rs 5000 into the bank accounts of around two lakh individuals whose livelihoods had been directly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Informing that the monetary assistance would be given in two equal instalments, the CM said that the first instalment would be transferred within this month and the second instalment in August.

Eligible beneficiaries include street vendors, farmers, daily wage workers, construction site workers, rickshaw pullers, public transport drivers, school van drivers, artisans among others.

A fund of Rs 100 crore is being mobilised for this purpose by deducting 40 to 50 per cent from funds for projects, which could not be implemented or utilised due to Covid-19 pandemic and the same was approved by the state cabinet on Tuesday, he said.

Since the assistance amount will not be enough, the government is also considering some relaxation in the curfew after July 10, the CM revealed and urged the public to follow SOPs strictly even after the relaxation since easing of the restrictions will be done in consideration of the hardships faced by the people but not due to improvement in Covid situation.

Maintaining that vaccination is the only permanent solution to the pandemic, Biren appealed to all eligible individuals to get vaccinated.

The government is also organising mass vaccination programmes in association with MLAs, pradhans, ADCs, CSOs and local clubs to speed up the vaccination process.

The last few days have been experiencing vaccination of over 20,000 individuals on daily basis.

Only if the vaccination capacity could be increased to 50,000 per day, then the state would be able to achieve the target by the end of August.

A consignment of 75,000 doses of Covid-19 vaccine has arrived in Imphal on Wednesday and more will be sent on Thursday, he added.

On the other hand, responding to posers from media on Mt Koubru issue, the CM said that Koubru is a sacred place and there is no room for politics over it.

The agreement made with COPPK was not at his level but it was simply an understanding made at the level of the two ministers.

Any agreement made with any minister is not official and in order to make it official, a secretary or a commissioner level official of the government should be the signatory, he said.

"There is no controversy on this issue.

Koubru is located inside the reserved forest area and nobody except the government is the owner of Koubru.

The government does not have to talk with every organisation or community, who comes up with ownership claim on Koubru.

Politicising the issue is uncalled for and let the public judge them," the CM affirmed.

Stating that construction of the statue was delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic, he informed that the government is planning to complete the project by October this year before the election code of conduct comes into effect.

Officials concerned have been instructed to ensure timely completion, he added.

DC Imphal East, tourism director and officials of PWD accompanied the CM during his visit.

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