House passes five demands of over Rs 500 crore ; 'Bad drainage responsible for frequent floods'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 22 2017: The Manipur Legislative Assembly today passed five demands amounting to Rs 502.85 crore .

The demands were for State Legislature (Rs 803508000), Council of Ministers (Rs 86200000), Secretariat (Rs 778504000), Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (Rs 3243701000) and Election (Rs 116608000) .

As the State Assembly started discussing the demands one by one, Opposition Members raised strong objection with regard to the demand for MAHUD citing different reasons .

Replying to the objection, MAHUD Minister Th Shyamkumar stated that the Government deemed it fit to hike the honorarium of the Members of urban local bodies .

Till January 1, 2012, a Ward Member was given monthly honorarium of Rs 1500 but it has been increased to Rs 3000 from January this year.

The Government has been working to release the increased honorarium in consultation with the Finance Department .

House passes five demands of over Rs 500 crore ; 'Bad drainage responsible for frequent floods'

Imphal city was quite dirty and shabby when the incumbent Government assumed office.

Now, it has improved considerably following consistent cleaning and moping, Shyamkumar stated .

He went on to claim that Imphal would now certainly find its place among the 10 ten cleanest cities of India .

Even though IMC (Imphal Municipal Council) has been upgraded to the status of a corporation, it cannot discharge its duties and responsibilities fully, admitted the MAHUD Minister .

He then pledged that IMC would be empowered to discharge its duties fully .

Bad drainage systems and encroachment on drains are largely responsible for frequent floods at Imphal .

Imphal is among 90 cities selected for Smart City Project.

As the Government of India has released Rs 109 crore for the project, the State's matching share of Rs 17 crore has been set aside .

Under the same project, tender process has been initiated for construction and renovation of drainage systems, foot bridges, foot pavements, underground parking lots and public toilets, Shyamkumar informed the House .

Central allocation for Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) is Rs 180.32 crore and its funding pattern between the Central Government and the State Government is 90:10 .

2.5 per cent of the total project cost of AMRUT would be invested in construction and development of parks and green spaces for children and senior citizens .

Regarding Pradhan Mantri Awaz Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U),Shyamkumar said that out of 27 towns proposed by the State Government, the Central Government has approved 14 towns for construction of houses for beneficiaries.

They are Kakching, Thoubal, Jiribam, Sugnu, Lamsang, Wangjing-Lamding, Bishnupur, Kakching Khunou, Lilong, Nambol, Ningthoukhong, Moirang, Samurou and Heirok .

Construction of houses would begin at nine towns in the first phase.

Two major problems have been nagging implementation of PMAY-U in Manipur.

Selection of beneficiaries is based on Socio-Economic Caste Census and pattas of beneficiaries should be registered in the names of wives/women .

As for the second problem, the Chief Minister has allowed registration of pattas in the names of wives/women at minimal cost.

Solid Waste Management Plant constructed at Lamdeng has started functioning though it has not been inaugurated.

The plant would be inaugurated after power generation section which is still incomplete is completed .

For retrofitting of the two Ima Keithels damaged by earthquake in 2016, Rs 21 crore has been incorporated in the State budget.

Shyamkumar clarified that the transfer of the Executive Officer of Nambol Municipal Council was not done with political consideration or with any intention to victimise him.

The transfer was effected to streamline administration .

Responding to a query raised by MLA Kh Joykisan, Shyamkumar said that the allegation of swindling public money without doing any work in IMC Ward No 3 is being enquired.

Earlier, Joykisan said that the honorarium given to elected Members of IMC was too meagre and sought attention of the Minister concerned to review it .

Saying that some Corporators and Ward Members were misappropriating public money by submitting photographs executed by MLA(s), Joykisan urged the Government to draw a distinct line between works executed by MLAs and those executed by Ward Members and Corporators .

He also decried that the Government has failed to take up any action even after a written complaint was submitted to the Chief Secretary regarding swindling of public money without doing any work .

O Henry questioned the Government's promise to supply adequate volume of potable water to Imphal city .

RK Imo urged the Government to hike the honorariums of IMC Corporators and Ward Members and make it a full fledged corporation .

Abdul Nasir expressed keen desire to draw master plan for development of Imphal city and enactment of by-laws for construction of buildings within IMC area .

AK Mirabai urged the Government to complete construction of market complex at the erstwhile Tombisana High School campus at the earliest and also to develop a morning market at Imphal for people coming from rural areas to sell their agricultural produces .

N Loken asked whether candidates who lost elections and retired officers can use flag-post attached vehicles and letterheads embossed with Ashok Chakra .

He went on to ask if the Government has any plan to construct Nambol market and a water supply scheme at Nambol .

Th Lokeshore said that Ministers should consult MLAs concerned while executing any development programme.