Govt withholds Cabinet decisions taken during time of Ibobi Govt
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 16 2017:
The State Government has issued stringent directions to all departments that Cabinet decisions adopted by the previous Congress Government which have not been implemented yet should not be implemented without approval of the Chief Minister.
A well placed source informed that Special Secretary (Cabinet) N Ashok Kumar wrote to the Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Commissioners and Secretaries on June 14 to submit lists of Cabinet decisions adopted by the previous Congress Government which have not been implemented yet to the State Government's Monitoring Cell within two days.
The Principal Secretary (Cabinet) wrote the letter in accordance with the Chief Minister's desire.
The letter categorically directed that the Cabinet decisions which were adopted by the previous Congress Government which are yet to be implemented should not be implemented nor any process should be initiated for their implementation without approval of the Chief Minister.
Notably, BJP expressed strong disapproval when the previous Congress Government led by Chief Minister O Ibobi adopted Cabinet decisions and undertook massive recruitment drives at different departments before the last State Assembly election.
One major decision adopted by the previous Government was creation of seven new districts.
A Cabinet meeting held on December 8 last year when O Ibobi was the Chief Minister gave consent to creation of seven new districts in addition to the existing nine districts.
The newly created districts are Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Pherzawl and Noney.
A gazette notification was issued on December 9 last year in connection with the creation of the seven new districts.
It was also stated that all boundaries of new districts and the concomitant controversies would be determined by the District Boundary Commission.
The District Boundary Commission should be headed by a retired High Court Judge and administrative Secretaries of Home, Revenue and Tribal Affairs and Hills Departments should be incorporated as members.
But the committee has not been constituted yet.
Moreover, the previous Government, by another Cabinet decision, gave approval for recruitment of necessary staff for the newly created districts.
But the incumbent Government has kept on hold the same Cabinet decision apart from banning new recruitments citing the State's unhealthy financial condition and the need to review recruitments made by the previous Government.
Despite acute shortage of manpower, Deputy Commissioners of the newly created districts have already started discharging their functions and duties.
On the other hand, the State Government's decision of creating seven new districts including Jiribam and Kangpokpi (Sadar Hills) was opposed tooth and nail by the UNC which clamped the record breaking blockade.
They (UNC) are still exerting immense pressure on the incumbent Government led by N Biren to withdraw the previous Government's decision of creating seven new districts.