School Phagathansi Mission, posts of Lok Ayukta given nod
Ukhrul hosts Cabinet meet with 50 pc in attendance
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, June 05 2019: The State Cabinet has given its official nod to implementation of 'School Phagathansi' Mission in the State.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting held for the first time at Ukhrul district headquarters today with Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the chair.

It was the seventh such meeting held outside the State capital after Churachandpur, Chandel, Tamenglong, Senapati, Jiribam and Kangpokpi.

However, unlike the past Cabinet meetings held at the State capital and different hill district headquarters, as many as six Cabinet Ministers including Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Y Joykumar stayed away from today's Cabinet meeting.

Other Cabinet Ministers who stayed away from the meeting were Works Minister Th Biswajit, Health & Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar, YAS Minister Letpao Haokip, PHED Minister L Dikho and Social Welfare Minister Nemcha Kipgen.

School Phagathansi Mission, posts of Lok Ayukta given nod

Education Minister Th Radheshyam who attended the Cabinet meeting maintained it must have been due to unavoidable engagements that the six Ministers stayed away from the Cabinet meeting.

However, it is not yet clear as to why the six Ministers stayed away from the Cabinet meeting.

Meanwhile, many quarters have been asking whether the absence of as many as six Ministers in today's Cabinet meeting is a reflection of a growing discord within the coalition Government led by Chief Minister N Biren.

The Cabinet meeting was scheduled to begin at 11 am but it had to be put off till 2.30 pm as many of the Cabinet Ministers did not turn up.

It finally began at 3 pm with only six Ministers including the Chief Minister.

The 'School Phagathansi' mission has been introduced with an ambitious objective to give renewed thrust towards improvement of Government schools both in terms of physical and manpower infrastructure.

One Government school each in all the 60 Assembly Constituencies of the State will be developed as a model school in the first phase under the mission.

All these schools would be run and developed in a uniform pattern.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Education Minister and Government spokesperson Th Radheshyam further informed that the Cabinet also approved creation of different posts for Manipur Lok Ayukta and Manipur Human Rights Commission to ensure smooth running of the two Constitutional bodies.

He also said that the Cabinet gave its approval to enhance retirement age of Home Guards personnel from 59 years to 60 years and extension of service of the State VDF personnel for one more year.

The Cabinet also resolved to give one time relaxation to the educational qualification of Followers recruited in Manipur Police earlier to Class VIII passed.

According to rules, the minimum educational qualification for Followers should be Class X passed.

But the State Government recruited a number of Followers by specifying Class VIII passed as the minimum educational qualification.

Notably, the crucial agenda of reviewing disturbed area status was not discussed in the meeting.

The Government spokesperson also informed that the Cabinet also decided to hike the amount mentioned in the Manipur Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019 from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

Stating that providing safe drinking water to every household of the State within a stipulated period is an objective of the current Government, the Cabinet also decided to recruit required manpower in order to achieve this target.

Maintaining that serve, connect and sacrifice is the motto of the current Government, Th Radheshyam said that Cabinet meetings are being conducted in hill district headquarters.