State Government recommends Manipur be declared as Hill state by amending Article 371 C - Source
Source: IT News Exclusive
Imphal, October 28 2019:
Amidst civil society's anger over the skipping of Manipur's stakeholders while inking a permanent solution to the issue of NSCN-IM, a source with the Imphal Times said that the GoI did sought recommendations from the side of the Manipur government regarding the matter.
As per the source, the Government of Manipur has recommended the Government of India to declare Manipur as Hill state with a bicameral legislation on the line envisaged for Nagaland state so that Manipur be brought under the Sixth Scheduled format.
It however fails to reveal the modus operandi on how the state of Manipur could be declared a hill state without converting the majority Meetei/Meitei community into the status of Scheduled Tribe.
The source further said that the Government of Manipur strongly opposed any kind of ethnic based administration being set up in the state of Manipur for appeasing NSCN-IM, but recommended to name the existing autonomous district councils to North Autonomous Council, South Autonomous Council and Central Autonomous Council which will include the entire valley districts.
For that, the Government of India has been recommended to amend Article 371 C .
The recommendations suggested for listing the entire state of Manipur under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution.
The source fails to disclose on whether the recommendation of the state government will be accepted by the government India or not but concealing the fact about contacting government of Manipur in connection with the talk create apprehension to the people of the state.
When questioned about the concept of converting the existing autonomous district councils into 3 autonomous council across the entire state , the source said that the North Autonomous Council may encompass the existing Autonomous district Council of Ukhrul (which is presently having jurisdiction over Ukhrul district and the newly formed Kamjong district), Tamenglong ( which is having jurisdiction over Tamenglong and the newly formed Noney district) and Senapati ( presently having jurisdiction over Senapati district) by having separate offices functioning from each of the respective district head quarters.
Under the South Autonomous Council, the state government recommended to encompass the existing ADCs of CCpur, Sadar Hills and Chandel with offices from the respective district head quarters.
However, border town Moreh being an important strategic location as per the Act East Policy of India, the state government recommended to place it under the jurisdiction of Central Autonomous district Council which will comprise of the valley districts.