UNC picks flaws in fund allocation under PWD
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 01 2012:
United Naga Council has taken strong exception to alleged omission or insignificant amount provided in the allotment of funds for Cheque Drawal Authority under the PWD and questioned how can there be any development in the hills in the light of such hard facts.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Wing, UNC pointed out that Government of Manipur has omitted Chandel, Tamenglong and Ukhrul districts from the fund allocated while insignificant amount has been provided to Senapati district.
Quoting relevant documents made available to it, UNC highlighted the amount allotted to seven divisions in the valley districts as Bridge Division (Rs 0.47 crores), Imphal East Division (Rs 0.68 crores), Imphal West Division (Rs 1.19 crores), Highway South Division (Rs 1.07 crores), BIshnupur Division (Rs 0.81 crores), Thoubal Division (Rs 1.49 crores) and Jiribam Division (Rs 0.00 crores) whereas the amount has been allocated to only three Divisions in the hills, namely Churachandpur division (Rs 1.24 crroes), Sadar Hills division (Rs 1.55 crores) and Senapati disvision (Rs 072 crores).
Chandel Division, Tamenglong division and Ukhrul division have been, thus, omitted from the allocation of fund for Cheque Drawal Authority under the PWD.
UNC recalled that the Deputy Chief Minister of Manipur had declared on November 10 that the State Government is committed to the development of the hill districts in view of their special needs while addressing some students at Senapati.
But the allocated amount speaks volume about the blatant communalism in every decision of the Government of Manipur.
Where is the development for the hills to take care of its special needs in the light of hard facts, UNC questioned, while concluding that the Nagas and tribals can never expect a fair deal now or in the future from the Government of Manipur.
It pointed out that there are 7 Divisions for the mere 2238 sq kms of the 4 valley districts and only 6 Divisions for the 5 hill districts of 20089 sq kms.
Tribal population which is 41% of the state's total has only 20 MLAs who represent an average electorate of 34,180 each while the 40 MLAs from the valley represents an average of only 25,575 electorates and just 58% of the population.
The victimisations and suppression that arises from this skewed and engineered arrangement is across the board - be it with bureaucrats, professionals or other employees, contractors & businessmen, development, education, sports, employment.
In the name of law and order every function is shut down in the hills and the development of the hills takes place in the valley where normalcy reigns with more than 20-30 armed groups, UNC observed.
Reiterating that the only option is the peaceful parting of ways in good neighbourliness, UNC contended that it is not narrow or parochial politics and the tribals of the state in general will remain silent in the face of this stark reality only to their own peril.
Every Naga, where ever they are positioned must therefore take up ownership of the movement for securing an alternative arrangement outside the Government of Manipur pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue, UNC exhorted.
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