Solar power in govt depts, LED street lamps on the card: CM
Poor management leads to deficit in power sector: MLA Brojen
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 09 2012: Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, who is also in charge of Power, informed the Assembly today that the government is planning to install solar power in all the government offices and convert all the streets lamps into solar-powered LED.

The Chief Minister was replying to the discussing on the Budget Demand for Power in the House.

Earlier, bringing up a Policy Cut Motion, MLA P Brojen observed that Power is an essential commodity which all human beings need and want.

But poor management from the government's side has been the one sole reason behind huge deficit of bills in power sector.

The MLA asserted that no government officials send the electric bills to the consumers' houses regularly nor they do regular meter reading.

If the government pays full attention to the matter and take up certain measures to ensure power supply 24x7 hours to the consumers, then there would be no major problem in collection of bills.

He also urged the government to check the conditions of all HT cables and transformers to see if they are at par to the prescribed standard.

Participating in the discussion, Opposition MLA Dr I Ibohalbi also pointed out that there are many things that need to be amended in the power sector.

NHPC has been the authority of Loktak Project since long and they are indirectly getting the privilege of clearing of phumdis from Loktak Lake with expenses from the state government.

He also urged the government to see if Manipur could become the owner of Loktak Project by any means.

MLA Joykishan, while slamming the measures taken up by the Power Department to realise due bills from the consumers, said that the intention of the Power Department to disconnect or arrest defaulters by providing only 4 hours of power supply a day is unfortunate.

Moreover, there is no proper meter and billing system in the state.

Arresting defaulters and publishing their photos in newspapers is nothing but anti people, he added.

Responding to the Policy Cut Motion, Chief Minister O Ibobi told the House that the government is chalking out many strategies to improve the power situation in the state including upgradation of Power Department into a Corporation.

Besides, there are lack of infrastructures and staffs in the power department which the government is trying to solve.

Providing solar power to all government offices is on the card while all the street lamps in and around Imphal city would be converted into Solar powered LED lamps.

The government is also planning to find out why there is huge los of power during transmission from other states, the CM said.

Raising another Policy cut motion during discussing on the Demand for Minor Irrigation, MLA Dr I Ibohalbi contended that irrigation system in the state is a totally failure.

Vast agricultural tracts in the state face acute shortage of water if the moonson rain is delayed.

This is a clear example of the failure of irrigation system.

Stressing on the need to chalk out a good policy to develop irrigation system in the state, the MLA also demanded the government to help the farmers in view of the failure of monsoon rain this time.

Replying to the cut motion, Chief Minister Ibobi, who is also in charge of Minor Irrigation, said that government is reviewing the system of irrigation in the state and would come up with a solution to the problems being faced by the farmers of the state soon.

Government is recognising major sources of water which can be directed through the fields to meet the requirement of the farmers.

He also assured the House to look into the matter of due payment to Work Charged employees of the department.

In the discussion of Demand for Youth Affairs and Sports, MLA Joykishan said that the state government should pay special attention to the players of the state and pointed out that many talented players are playing in other states due to lack of government initiatives for them in the state.

He also suggested inclusion of sports as a subject in school education.

In reply to the motion, the Chief Minister said that the government has been awarding cash incentives to the players of the state who bring laurels to the state.

Though it might be small in term of amount, the government is putting its best efforts in inspring the players as far as possible.

The government is giving special quota for players during any government recruitment.

Moreover, boxer Surbala, who played World Championships in Turkey recently, would be felicitated by the government.

After much discussion, the House passed Rs 216,92,62,000 of Demands for Community Development (20); Rs 508,25,55,000 of Demand for Power (23); Rs 66,62,40,000 of Demand for Youth Affairs and Sports (25); Rs 112, 63,04,000 of Demand for Minor Irrigation (36); Rs 47,91,18,000 of Demand for MOBC,SC (47); Rs 12,74,08,000 of Demand for Economics and Statistics (49) and Rs 10,95,71,000 of Demand for Information Technology (50) today.

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