Biren appeals to all to raise working hours to 16
'Two steps forward, one step back a strategy'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 19 2024: Chief Minister N Biren has called upon all the people to work 16 hours a day in order to make up for the time lost during the last 14-15 months on account of the violent crisis.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the launch of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department's "Skilling and Livelihood Programme" at the City Convention Centre.

The present crisis is not about misappropriation of public money by the BJP Government or any scandal.

It is a struggle between the Government which is committed to protect the integrity of Manipur at all costs and those elements who have been conspiring to fragment Manipur, he said.

"In order to make up for the time lost on account of the violent crisis and revive the State's economy, we must raise the working hours from eight to 16 and from 10 to 20", Biren said.

Biren appeals to all to raise working hours to 16

Calling upon all the people to work as one in order to protect the integrity of Manipur, Biren stated that one cannot always focus all the attention on the crisis.

"We must also think about our livelihood, education of children and the State's economy", the Chief Minister said.

He said that moving two steps forward and retracting one step backward is a strategy of war.

"We cannot spend all our time on the war.

We must fight the war and at the same time think about our livelihood.

There is a Government to fight this war", Biren said.

While fighting the war, the Government would also work to bring a political solution and peace.

The Government is working on different fronts, he said.

There are people who got infuriated when it was stated that the violence has ebbed and students have started attending schools/colleges, he remarked.

The current issue is a critical one and it will take time to resolve it.

At the same time, the Government has taken up several measures to protect the citizens but all these measures cannot be disclosed, Biren said.

Nonetheless, those fighting the war in the field would be knowing the several measures taken up by the Government to protect citizens, he added.

Even if social media users are ignorant of these measures, those in the field know it very well, Biren said.

He went on to claim that the issue of Dhanamanjuri University has been resolved.

The Government would work to introduce a system of holding daily assembly of students, singing National Anthem and State song at colleges in order to check attendance of students and enhance discipline among the students, the Chief Minister stated.

Principals and other authorities concerned have been asked to disallow students from giving exams if their attendance is below 75 per cent and also to cancel scholarships given by the State Government and the Central Government, he said.

It has also been discussed to apply 'no work, no pay' system if attendance of teachers at colleges is below 75 per cent.

A policy has also been put in place to check college teachers from going back home soon after putting signatures on the attendance registers, he said.

"College Principals have also been asked to give me the list of students who cannot attend class regularly due to poverty and are engaged in different works to earn income", the Chief Minister stated.

A special programme would be initiated for such students so as to ameliorate their financial difficulties in consultation with the Planning Department and banks, he said.

The Government has already launched a number of schemes to bring about economic upliftment of underprivileged people.

He mentioned entrepreneur support scheme, StartUp, and One Family, One Livelihood.

A Cabinet sub-committee has already started monitoring the living conditions and daily requirements of village volunteers and displaced people, Biren said.

The Chief Minister informed the gathering that some cases of forged ILP passes have been detected.

"We must be wary of such forgery.

We cannot sit back and relax just because ILPS has been extended to the State", Biren added.

Water Resources Minister Awangbow Newmai pointed out that Manipur is a land of different communities and ethnic groups.

He said that the Biren-led Government has been working hard to bring uniform development across the hills and valley of Manipur.

Hill Areas Committee (HAC) Chairman Dinganglung Gangmei said that there are some people in Manipur who have been indulging in communal politics to keep the fire of communal conflict burning.

Agriculture Minister Thongam Biswajit, CAF&PD Minister L Susindro, Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo, MLAs, senior Government officials, officials of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department and trainees attended the programme, among others.

In the technical session, Veterinary Specialist (Para) Dr Ch Nisita presented a paper on "Opportunities and Benefits of Animal Husbandry as a means of Revival of Livelihood Activities of the Youths", District Fisheries Officer, Chandel Sapam Jiten on "Scope of Fish Farming as a means of income generation for the youths", Action Organic Manipur founder Dina Oinam on "Method of Composting and Vermicomposting", M/S Binita Mushroom Imphal proprietor RK Binita on "Mushroom Cultivation, Means of Income Generation for the Unemployed Youths" while M/S Meira Foods Imphal proprietor Hanjabam Shubhra Devi presented a paper on "Empowering Youths Through Food Processing in the State" .