BJP for extension of Special category status
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, October 08 2013 :
While State unit BJP urged the delegation of 14th Finance Commission to extend the 'Special Category" status given to Manipur for another one decade by taking into consideration the condition of the low-income people of the North Eastern state, Naga People's Front (NPF) has pressed the Commission for allocating separate budget for smooth administration of the hill areas of Manipur.
Before wrapping up their three-day long visit and leaving Imphal, members of the 14th Finance Commission led by its Chairman YV Reddy team met leaders of various political parties of the state here at the Old Secretariat today today.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions, Urban Local Bodies, Autonomous District Councils and trade associations.
During the meeting, State unit of BJP submitted a six-point memorandum to the commission, Th Chaoba, President of the state BJP unit told reporters at the Nityaipat Chuthek party's office here later in the afternoon.
He said the memorandum urged the commission to extend the Special Category status given to the state for another one decade by taking into consideration the condition of the low-income people of the state.
Under Special Category status plan assistance is provided at 90 percent and the rest 10 percent is given as loan under Backward Region grant by the Centre.
Prof Gangmumei Kamei, co-chairman, State Core Committee, BJP Manipur Pradesh also briefed on the memorandum submitted to the commission.
Chaoba said the six-point representation also mentioned on development of agro-forest based industries and its allied sector in the state, road connectivity, wetlands conservation, especially Loktak Lake and restoration of the ecosystem of the lake and Sangai National Project.
It also requested for providing monthly dietary stipend to the sportspersons of the state that has been created as the sports power house of the nation, one-time grant to the selected sports clubs and improvement of sports infrastructure, he said.
The memorandum further urged the commission to limit the gap between the non-plan expenditure and plan expenditure, the former MP added.
It also blamed the state Government for spending 90 percent of the non-plan amount in paying salaries to thousands of employees in the Home Department who were recruited after wrongly citing security problem, he said.
He said the memorandum also urged the team to provide enough fund for resource based development activities in the state.
Meanwhile, according to information received by Hueiyen Lanpao, during the meeting with the official team of the 14th Finance Commission, representatives of Naga People's Front (NPF) pressed for allocating separate budget for smooth administration of the hill areas of Manipur.
Sources said that from the side of Congress party, MLA T Mangibabu, Minister Francis Ngajokpa, T Manga Vaiphei, ex-Minister L Jayantakumar, etc were present during the meeting with the officials of 14th Finance Commission.
State unit President of JD(U) M Tombi, Sarat Salam and Ksh Shanta of CPI (M), Dr M Nara of CPI were also present during the interaction and submitted memorandum from their side of their respective parties to the visiting team of 14th Finance Commission.
Comment
