NPF deplores step-motherly treatment
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, June 28 2013 :
The Naga Peoples Front (NPF), Manipur State deplored the alleged step-motherly treatment of the Congress led Manipur government to the 'tribal hill districts' .
NPF, Manipur State secretary Athuan Abonmai alleged that most of the mega projects initiated by the Manipur government is against the tribal people.
"For instant, Mapithel Dam, the proposed Chakpi Multi-purposed Dame etc., as in the name of development, many tribal villages and their lands would be submerged or displaced while ultimate beneficiaries will be non-tribals at the cost of the tribal people.
It is a policy of alienating and encroaching the tribal land," the NPF, Manipur State said while asking, "If the Manipur state government is really interested or committed to the development of the hill districts and the tribal people, why no major education institutions, health and sports infrastructures etc.
are established in the hill districts?" .
According to Athuan Abonmai, Manipur chief minister O.Ibobi Singh's recent announcement to constitute a committee with a retired high court Judge to bring equal development to the hill areas is a blatant lie.
"How can the hill people expect a good thing from the Congress led Manipur government while their fundamental and constitutional rights were denied?" the NPF leader questions.
"Does O.Ibobi Singh think that tribals are pretty fools to believe his cacophony?," he further asked.
The Manipur government and its machineries have become laissez-fair for Mr.Ibobi Singh, according to the Athuan Abonmai.
"Mr..OIbobi has stated that the hill people were the ones who misused the development fund of the hill area but we would like to know from the chief minister as to what funds and who had misused them?" the NPF also asked while further posing a question, "Mr Ibobi meant his Congress tribal MLAs or those un-mandated so called district council members?" .
Posing a series of questions, NPF, Manipur State secretary Athuan Abonmai said, "What is the quantum of fund allocation for hill districts which is covering 90% of geographical areas of the state? How can a shoe string budget allocation of hill districts do any remarkable achievement in this vast hilly region? Besides,there is a provision of tribal sub-plan in each and every dept.
through central funding.
Where are all those fund gone? Who has been misappropriating those money? There is no any achievement from any dept.
for tribal under tribal sub-plan except Tribal Development department Ibobi may lie but for how long will it last?" .
Another discriminatory act of the Manipur government is the recently created/constituted Manipur Rural Development Agency (MRDA), pointed out the Naga party.
"That District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) is a centralised agency whose cannot be diverted/deducted by the state govt.That is why it has deliberately constituted the MRDA so that Manipur state govt.can divert fund meant for hill districts from DRDA.
Moreover, it can be facilitating the valley based UGs to deduct DRDA fund of hill districts.
Since the handing over of DRDA to the District Council, the highly reputed agency DRDA is becomes farcical institution.
No welfare schemes implemented properly and even the IAY which normally benefited for the poor villagers were totally misused by the so called councillors and distributed to their few selected relatives or dear and near one only.
In the name of empowering to the un-mandated ADC Members, 25% of MGNREGS fund is also diverted.
It is not empowering but depriving the tribal public in the hill districts of their due share," the NPF, Manipur State said.
"Therefore, the NPF Manipur State would not remain a silent spectator to this gross misconduct and encroachments upon the tribal peoples' rights by this valley centric Manipur government," the NPF cautions.
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