Photos of Govt school teachers to be posted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2022: Chief Minister N Biren Singh has informed the House that photos of all Government teachers would be posted at their respective schools and a biometric attendance system for teaching and non teaching staff would be implemented from this month onwards.

While discussing the demands of grants amounting to over Rs 3898 crore in today's sitting of the State Assembly, the Leader of the House continued that the system would be implemented upto high school level in hill districts and upto higher secondary level in valley districts from this month onwards.

He further said that a similar mechanism would also be implemented in district hospitals, CHCs and PHCs so as to give better health care facilities to the people.

Responding to a query raised by Opposition MLA K Ranjit during the discussion on demands for grants, Education Minister Th Basanta Kumar said that all students have to learn three languages as per the recommendation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 .

The three language formula doesn't necessarily mention any imposition of a particular language but at least two of the three languages must be native Indian languages.

The Education Minister acknowledged that there is indeed a shortage of teaching staff in primary schools and colleges and as such recruitment process for teachers will resume after the session of the State Assembly is completed.

Regarding the observation given by Congress MLA K Meghachandra, Th Basanta Kumar said that the final seniority list of 1364 lecturers was published on April 20 last and all stakeholders had been asked to raise their claims and objections.

Unfortunately, claims and objections were raised against the 1281 lecturers while some others even submitted their petitions to a Court.

Saying that there is no question of giving grant-in-aid to the Universal College in Yairipok, the Minister asked all concerned to apprise the Government if anyone is found indulging in wrongful activities in the name of converting Universal College to aided college so that legal proceedings could be initiated against them.

Basanta Kumar further stated that a process is underway to appoint a new Chairman of BoSEM.

Responding to Opposition MLA Surjakumar Okrarn, Basanta Kumar stated that the Government is considering to use handloom products as a school uniform.

Saying that the Government has been providing at least 2 sets of school uniform to Class I to VIII students belonging to SC, ST and BPL families, he added that the facility, however, is not given to general and OBC students.

The handloom uniforms are being weaved by weavers who were short-listed through an open tender, the Minister said and maintained that the weavers, at times, buy clothes from other States as providing two sets of uniform at Rs 600 is difficult.

He further stated that the Government is considering providing phanek (loincloth) to girl students from Class VIII to Class X.While discussing the matter related to CAF&PD raised by Sugnu AC MLA K Ranjit, CAF&PD Minister L Susindro Meitei stated that the Government has started taking up actions to distribute the rice being grown by local farmers to NFSA beneficiaries after taking due approval from the FCI.

The Minister also highlighted the need to establish a corporation and create a web portal for registration of farmers and others concerned for better implementation of the distribution system as all payment has to be done through PFMS.

Above this, the State needs to have a modem rice mill which can produce 3 to 4 MT of an edible rice in an hour, the Minister said* and added that the State has sent a proposal to SIDBI to fund establishment of modem rice mills in the State.

The Government is planning to procure at least 30,000 to 50,000 MT of rice this year, Susindro said and added that at least 2,25,770 hectare of land in Manipur is arable.

As per the Minister.

6,07,820 MT of rice were produced in the fiscal year 2017-18 while the rate of rice was Rs 20 per kilogram while the amount of rice produced in 2018-19 was 6,02,430 MT and the rate of rice was Rs 31.50 per kilogram and in the following years the State produced 4,45,550 MT office in 2019-20 (Rs 30/kg) and 6,02,210 MT in 2020-21 (Rs 20/kg) .

He also exuded confidence that the Centre would surely approve the proposal to distribute the locally grown rice to NFSA beneficiaries as the State faces different obstacles in lifting rice from outside and sought cooperation from all Members of the House in implementing the system.

Ministers Awangbow Newmai, Horticulture and Letpao Haokip also responded to policy cut motions raised by Opposition MLAs.

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