Centre seeks status report on projects
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 19 2011: Ahead of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's forthcoming visit to Manipur sometime in November, the Union Cabinet Secretariat has sought the updated status on the development programmes and projects being taken up in the State including those which the Prime Minister himself had laid the foundation stones on his last visit to the State in 2004 .

According to a reliable source, during his last visit to Manipur as well as in the preceding weeks, the Prime Minister held intensive consultations with the Chief Minister on various projects that could be taken up for the development of the state.

Based on these discussions, many projects were announced for implementation subsequently.

Among them, the Prime Minister taking serious note of the acute shortage of advanced medical facilities in the State, and decided to upgrade Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) located at Lamphelpat with facilities on par with the AIIMS at total cost of Rs 230 crores.

Out of the total cost, Rs 130 crores was to be sanctioned by NEC and remaining Rs 100 crores by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

To solve the problem of shortage of staff or resources, it had also been decided that RIMS would be transferred to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare while maintaining its regional character.

To improve health facilities in the remote districts, five 50-bedded hospitals have been sanctioned at Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Chandel, Senapati and Jiribam.

The Prime Minister hoped that these hospitals, costing Rs.75 crore in total, will bring good health facilities closer to people's homes.

Recognising the importance of road connectivity, the Prime Minister had agreed to the request for inclusion of the 4-laning of NH-39 from Maram to Imphal (78 km) at a cost Rs.300 crore.

The stretch from Dimapur to Kohima to Maram has been already included in NHDP-III.

Moreover, the Prime Minister approved the proposal of making the historic Old Cachar Road motorable at a cost of Rs.86 crores and included in NECs 11th Plan.

In addition, the Central Government had sanctioned an assistance of Rs.21 crore for the construction of 6 bridges at Bahu Bazar, Haokha, Leisangthem, Irong Ichin, Kiyamgei Mang Mapa and Moirang-Kumbi.

To give a boost to the sporting activities in the state and keep Manipur in the forefront of national sports, a National Sports Academy has been sanctioned at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex at a cost of Rs.18 crore.

The Prime Minister had laid the foundation stone of the academy during his last visit.

Agreeing to the request of the State Government to upgrade and convert the Manipur Institute of Technology to a National Institute of Technology, the Prime Minister hoped that this decision, along with the fulfilment of the promise to convert Manipur University into a Central University, will give the youth of Manipur top class educational facilities.

An assistance of Rs.35 crore had been provided for the construction of College Buildings and other facilities for the Manipur Institute of Technology, of which the Prime Minister himself had laid the foundation stone.

Along with approving the City Development Plan for Imphal under the Jawahar Lal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission at a total outlay of Rs.1870 crores, the Prime Minister expected that as this plan gets implemented, Imphal will take the shape of a modern city and will be an engine of growth for the state.

To boost to tourism in the State, construction of a Convention Centre at Imphal at a cost of Rs.24 crore has been approved.

The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of the City Convention, the source recalled.

To know the present status of these projects, the Union Cabinet Secretariat has written to all the Ministries and Departments concerned for updates, the source added.

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