Ibobi tongue lashes TR Zeliang ; Learn the history of Manipur and NE : CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 20 2016: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has stated that Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has been ruling Nagaland at the diktats of an organisation based in Nagaland.

He was speaking at the inaugural function of an MGNREGA Mela and a newly constructed SIRD office at Imphal East DC office complex, Porompat today.

The MGNREGA Mela was organised by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

RD&PR Minister M Okendro, Parliamentary Secretary Md Amin Shah, RD&PR Secretary Sumant Singh and other top ranking officials were also present at the inaugural function.

Ibobi tongue lashes TR Zeliang ; Learn the history of Manipur and NE : CM

Referring to his Nagaland counterpart's visit to the State yesterday but without naming TR Zeliang, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi stated that some people were re-visiting the history of Manipur without knowing it thoroughly.

Rather than working for the development of their home State, they were invited by anti-social elements and they were speaking what they were told to speak by the anti-social elements.

What the Nagaland Chief Minister was advocating was something impractical which would never see the light of day.

Unlike Nagaland, Manipur is not a State which is ruled with the blessing and mercy of anti-social elements, Ibobi asserted.

All the communities settled in Manipur have been living in peace and harmony since time immemorial.

Manipur does not crave for any piece of land from neighbouring States and Myanmar.

At the same time, no one should ever think about taking away even an inch of Manipur's territory for it is something which can never be realised, Ibobi stated.

The Nagaland Chief Minister should first go through the histories of Manipur and the other North Eastern States, he said.

Manipur was an independent kingdom before it was merged into the Indian Union.

Ibobi stated that he was taken by surprise when TR Zeliang spewed venoms of hatred and animosity among different communities of Manipur.

He added that the State Government would work to raise the honorariums of Gram Panchayats, Zilla Parishads and District Councils which were last revised in 2005 .

MGNREGA which is now enforced in all the nine districts of Manipur was first launched in Tamenglong district.

It would make remarkable contribution in combating climate change if massive reforestation activities and water harvesting measures are taken up under MGNREGA, Ibobi stated.

RD&PR Minister M Okendro stated that there are five lakh MGNREGA job card holders in the State and 4.8 lakh households have been benefiting from the scheme.

To deal with construction of roads and bridges under PMGSY exclusively, a Rural Engineering Department has been set up under RD&PR Department.

The department would take up 392 works programmes under PMGSY.

For these works which would be distributed across the hills and valley of the State, the Central Government has sanctioned Rs 2500 crore.

Later, the Chief Minister gave away prizes to the most diligent Gram Panchayats and village authorities.