Ministerial team inspects site for IGNTU at Makhan village
Ranjit rules out black-topping work during monsoon
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 30 2009: A team of Ministers led by Works Minister K Ranjit today travelled along the National Highway 39 from Imphal to Mao and ins-pected the condition of the highway.

Indefinite economic blockade called by Senapati District Student's Association and various other bodies has been going on along the highway to put pressure on the state government to improve the bad condition of the highway.

Speaking to media-persons during the journey, Works Minister Ranjit asserted that black-topping works on the road cannot be taken up presently as it is rainy season now.

However, work will start from this week itself at the areas where the condition is worse.

Works Minister K Ranjit, TD Minister Thaisii and Education Minister L Jayentakumar (not seen in pic) inspecting improving work on NH 39

Regarding the economic blockade, the Minister said, the Union Ministry of Road and Surface Transport had released funds for impro-ving the highway in 2003-04 .

Since a number of so- called contractors had tried to snatch the contract works from each other and also had done the work without quality control, the government could not submit utilisation certifi-cation (UC) to the centre.

He said, as the govern-ment had failed to submit the utilisation certificate, the central government refused to release funds further for improving and repairing roads.

But now, the govern-ment has been able to submit the UC for the funds released in 2003-04 .

Education Minister L Jayentakumar and he himself met the Union Minister of Road and Surface Transport on June 30 last and requested him to sanction further required funds, Ranjit said.

He informed the media persons that the Works Department has already sent a detailed project report.

Sanction for funds is expected very soon.

He regretted that the task for improving the highway had been handed over to the Border Roads Orga-nisation (BRO) 33 years back.

The BRO always said that the improving work was going on, but no work could be seen.

Now also the condition of the highway has not become any better, Ranjit said.

Therefore, following instruction of the Chief Minister, O Ibobi, the task of reimproving the high-way has been withdrawn from the BRO.

While necessary corres-pondence in relation to the withdrawal of the charge of the works from the BRO was being made, and making detailed reports on the funds and time spent on the works, a lot of time had been taken.

That is one reason why the work for improving the road could not be taken up, the Works Minister said.

He further said that the government knows about the public grievances, but work cannot be started at once.

He appealed to the students and other orga-nisations concerned to call off the economic blockade and bandh.

As soon as the monsoon season is over, contract works for improving the road will be allocated before the month Decem-ber, he said and added that the work will be completed in the dry season.

He also called upon the public to co-operate with the government and appea-led to all concerned not to create any obstruction in the works.

Education Minister L Jayentakumar and Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii, who accom-panied Minister Ranjit during the trip, inspected the site for seeting up Indira Gandhi National Tribal University at Makhan village near Kanglatongbi.

Education Minister Jayentakumar told the media persons that the government has selected two sites for constructing the administrative block so that the Tribal University can start functioning.

The sites are Adimjati Ashram at Chingmeirong and the site of Spinning Mill at Loitang Khunou.

At present Assam Rifles troops are camping at the Spinning Mill.

Now that there is a plan to start a central project, it will not be difficult to evacuate the central forces from there, Jayentakumar said.