Review cabinet decision, demands IKAL
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, October 16 2022:
Iramdam Kanba Apunba Lup (IKAL) has appealed to the state government for reconsidering the cabinet decision of implementing four-child limit policy in the state considering the future of the indigenous communities of Manipur.
Addressing a press meet at its Uripok Khaidem Leikai office, here, on Sunday, IKAL general secretary Wahengbam Luwangleima said that the indigenous communities of the state are facing a survival crisis due to its marginal population.
Only about half of the total population of the state are indigenous population and the government's decision will have negative impact on the survival of the indigenous communities.
Limiting number of children might be a good way for population control but it is having negative impact on smaller indigenous communities, she said, while urging for reconsidering the decision.
Kangleipak (Manipur) has its own history of being an independent kingdom for thousands of years defending its own territory.
Unfortunately, number of non-local population is rising rapidly, which in turn is threatening the survival of the indigenous communities.
Earlier, percentage of non-local population was disclosed till the 2001 census but had stopped since 2011 census.
Even though there is no official figure, it would not be wrong to assume that nearly half the total population of the state could be non-local.
Many successful people of the state had shifted to other parts of the country as well as abroad, and a trend of Manipuri women getting married to outsiders is also increasing, and such practices further threaten the Survival of the indigenous communities, she said.
Amid the poor socio-economic conditions and high cost of education, parents are limiting their children to one or two.
As a result, indigenous population is decreasing over the past few decades.
In such a situation, the government should take up necessary initiatives to improve socio-economic condition, provide affordable quality education, job security, and encourage the indigenous communities to have children to increase population instead of limiting to four children and forfeiting scheme benefits for violators, she maintained.