Imphal, November 20 2009: State chief Minister O Ibobi, along with his wife, MLA O Landhoni, has reached New Delhi today, and met with the Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram this evening.

The meeting between Chief Minister Ibobi and Home Minister Chidambaram reportedly lasted nearly one hour.

Spokesperson of the Secular Progressive Front (SPF) government and IFCD and Youth Affairs & Sport Minister, N Biren told this newspaper tonight that the meeting between the Chief Minister and the Home Minister went on very cordially.

The Union Home Minister was very sympathetic, understanding and cooperative with the Chief Minister, the Spokesperson said.

Expressing concern over the present situations in Manipur, the Union Home Minister said that the Centre is aware of the unpleasant happenings and the insurgency problem dogging the state.

He is aware of the unpleasant situations that the Chief Minister has to deal with, he said, and asked him what steps the state government was taking to solve the ongoing agitation.

Chief Minister Ibobi reportedly told Chidambaram that the state government has begun negotiation with the agitating groups, and will continue further.

A solution is expected to be arrived at soon, he told the Home Minister.

The Home Minister advised him to bring about a solution as soon as possible, Spokesperson and Minister Biren said.

Chidambaram asked the Chief Minister if it was true that there were no police outposts in the hills and the rural areas of Manipur.

Chief Minister Ibobi said, it was true.

It's because Manipur Police department has been facing acute shortage of manpower.

While neighbouring state Nagaland has as large as about 30,000 strong police force, Manipur police has just about 13,000 personnel.

However, as the Centre has given its consent to opening a few more IRB battalions and recruiting some more police personnel, the state government is almost ready to set up police outpost in the hills and the rural areas.

Emphasising the need to increase the strength of state force, the Chief Minister informed the Home Minister that training for the new recruits would begin in December.

To a question of Chidambaram if the Chief Minister came to Delhi alongwith his officials, Ibobi said that he came alone.

Then Chidambaram told him to call his officers concerned to Delhi tomorrow itself and have them meet with the officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs to discuss the requirements of Manipur police department.

He also told the Chief Minister to stay in Delhi till Sunday, on which day he will meet him again to have a final discussion on the proposals forwarded by the officers level meeting.

Following the advice of the Union Home Minister, Chief Minister Ibobi has reportedly ordered state Chief Secretary, DS Poonia, DGP Y Joykumar and officers concerned of Home department to come to Delhi tomorrow itself.

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