House okays five demands
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 18 2013: The fifth session of the ongoing 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly today passed five demands which included Rs 64,81,07,000 for Land Revenue, stamp & Registration, and District Administration; Power - Rs 666,83,96,000; Youth Affairs and Sports - Rs 58,07,66,000; Art & culture Rs 28,02,63,000; and Tourism Rs 231,42,18,000 .

Joining the debate during the discussions on the five demands today, chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh pointed out that entrusting the Electricity Department to a private firm would be infeasible at the moment as the process is time consuming.

Ibobi informed the House that discussions are on to rope in service of a public undertaking to overtake the Power Department.

Citing unstable law and order situation as well as scattered locations of human (consumer) settlement areas in many parts of the State as two primary factors that would deter private parties from taking the initiative, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Power portfolio mulled that private investors might be willing to take over the task.

Placating apprehension of the Power Department employees that privatisation might compromise their service security, the CM wryly remarked that the only perilous situation the employees might be confronted with will be lack of punctuality/departure or irregular attendance.

To improve power generation mechanism in the State, pre-qualification tender process for the Loktak Downstream Project would be completed within 2/3 months, Ibobi said adding that plans are afoot to develop six other hydel projects.

Setting the current year as target for completing the 400 KV power line stringing from Silchar to Yurembam along with informing the members that the State is planning to connect Imphal and Dimapur with a 400 KV power-line, he conceded that owing to significant non-plan gap Govt of Manipur cannot carry out simultaneous replacement of power-poles and wires.

Mentioning that street-lamps in the capital city are being gradually replaced with LED bulbs that consumes lesser power, the CM said windmills were be developed at five locations, including at Mao Potato Farm site and Khuga Dam, for which proposal has been sent to the Ministry of Renewable Energy for fund provision.

Elaborating on incentives extended to sportspersons as part of the policy to boost their morale, he said multiple gold medal winning boxer MC Mary Kom has been allotted Type VI quarter, Rs 75 lakhs along with elevation to SP rank.

Pointing out that even a prosperous State like Haryana only provides cash incentives to its sportspersons, Ibobi also clarified that inspite of being offered appointment on contract basis with the possibility of service regularisation body builder Pradipkumar declined to accept the job offer.

While similar Government initiative has been taken for another body builder namely Arambam Bobby the plan could not implemented due to existence of multiple body building associations, he informed.

He also highlighted Government plan for setting up 150-bedded sports hostels for both boys and girls under the 13th Finance Commission.

With regard to ongoing rage over the Naga River Kabo Leikai eviction drive which he said was inevitable to expand Hotel imphal as a part of tourism development, the CM insisted that upon minute scrutiny the pattas (land ownership documents) were found to be fake ones.

Declaring that prior information was given long ahead of the actual eviction drive, he also conceded that an amount of over Rs 9 crores deposited to the court had to be withdrawn as the Government realised that the court might insist on producing genuine pattas to complete the land compensation process.

While Revenue Minister Th Debendra, Dr Ng Bijoy and L Nandakumar joined the debate from the ruling bench, the demand discussions also featured oppositions members like Dr I Ibohalbi, L Ibomcha, P Brojen, Samuel Raisom, Th shyamkumar, Th Bishorjit, O Lukhoi, Kh Joykisan and RK Imo.

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