Governor's address highlights 'achievements' of state govt
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 19 2012: The 1st session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly commenced at the newly inaugurated Assembly complex today with the Governor delivering his first address to the House.

The first session of the 10th Manipur State Legislative Assembly will commenced till 22nd March with four sessions.

While congratulating and welcoming all the members to the first session of the 10th Manipur State Legislative Assembly, Governor Gurbachan Jagat maintained that the successful conduct of elections to the 10th Manipur State Legislative Assembly is a victory of the people of Manipur who have once again demonstrated their faith in democratic institutions.

Governor Gurbachan Jagat pointed out that his government has been able to maintain revenue surplus for seven consecutive years and has not gone into overdraft since 2005-06 .

However, the implementation of the 6th Pay Commission has imposed severe fiscal stress.

The under-assessment of the state's Non-Plan requirements by the XIIIth Finance Commission has also contributed to the fiscal constraints and his government would continue to urge the Indian Government to provide additional resources to make up for the shortfall in the 13th Finance Commission's Award.

On the law and order situation, the Governor acknowledged that during the extended blockade of National Highways during 2011, the state faced intermittent scarcity of essential commodities.

However, with the prompt and determined action of his government, the prices of the essential commodities were put under control.

He also acknowledged the unstinted support extended to the state government by the Ministry of Home Affairs for providing dedicated security to the Railway Line Project.

Highlighting the achievement of the state government with regard to signing of the Tripartite Agreement with KCP (MC)-Lallumba Group, the Governor pointed out that KCP (MC)-Lallumba Group is the first Valley-based militant group to enter into Agreement after the Suspension of Operation (SoO) Agreement with Kuki UG groups under KNO and UPF.

He went on to point out that Protected Area Permit (PAP) has also been lifted from the state initially for one year and has now further relaxed the PAP regime for one more year.

The Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana added 19 habitations during 2012-12, taking the total habitations connected by road to 261 since 2001.232.94 lakh persons were given employment under the MGNREGS with an expenditure of Rs 46,808 lakhs in 2011-12 and poor households were given access to gainful employment and skill wage employment opportunities under SGSY.

The state government has also taken forward the process of devolution of powers to the District Councils by transferring 50% of the allocations of the Tribal Affairs Department under different schemes to the six District Councils.

Further the government has completed the construction of the Tribal Market at New Lambulane and 636 tribal women vendors have been allotted shops in the Tribal Market Complex, he further stated.

Governor Gurbachan Jagat also pointed out with pride that the state is among the first states in the country to complete the GIS based school mapping exercise under the SSA and RMSA.

The state government has also established 535 new Primary Schools and upgraded 158 Primary Schools to Upper Primary Level under the RTE mandate.

Existing 67 Junior High Schools have also been upgraded to High Schools and the government has completed recruitment of 536 trained Graduate Teachers at the rate of 8 teachers per High School in a transparent manner.

To promote Technical Education, the state government has enabled starting of Classes at the new National Institute of Technology, Manipur since 2010 in the Government Polytechnic at Takyelpat, by admitting 90 students in Electrical and Electronic s Engineering, Electronics and Communication, Computer Science and Engineering, he added.

On Health and Family Welfare, Governor Gurbachan Jagat said that the Health Care Facilities is far much better in comparison than the all India level.

Infant Mortality Rate has improved to 14 from previous level of 16, while the All India average is 50.The Maternal Mortality is 160 as against the all India average of 212.The state government further aims to reduce it to 90 during the 12thPaln.The government is also proposing to add 113 PHSC, 4 PHCs and 6 CHCs in the Hill areas.

The up-gradation of Nursing School at Lamphelpat to Nursing College has been done.

Works on 6 GNM Schools in the state with funding from Ministry of Health has started.

The government has also allotted land at Lamphelpat for the establishment of one AYUSH College.

With regard to Public Works and Infrastructure, the Governor informed the House that the state government provided an outlay of Rs 107.15 crores for the completion of various roads and bridges within March 2012.The State Works Department has accorded sanction and the PWD has floated tenders for taking up 50 roads during 2011-12 .

Apart from this, the North East Council has provided Rs 27 crores for construction of road from Kangpokpi to Tamenglong during this year.

He also mentioned the construction, completion and inauguration of the Capitol Complex with an estimated cost of Rs 841.84, he added.

He also pointed out that the government has successfully taken up 8 projects aimed at providing irrigation and drinking water facilities as well as controlling floods.

Of them five have been completed and three main multipurpose projects are at various levels of completion.

Under the public transport, he said that the government has given top priority to supporting construction of the Jiribam-Imphal Railway Line.

It has been declared a National; Project in 2005 with an estimated project cost of Rs 3,056.85 crores.

It is targeted for completion by March 2014, he said.

JNNURM has been successfully implemented in Imphal, Thoubal, Jiribam, Moirang, Bishnupur, Bishnupur and Kakching.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation adjudged Imphal as the "Best BSUP City under Special Category States/ UTs for the year 2010-11", he further stated.

He also mentioned about the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Act under the scheme of "A Programme for Juvenile Justice" .

He further stated in his address that the state government has provided employment to 45 meritorious sportsperson and said that the National Sports Academy which was established by the state government in 2007 with an aim to produce more International players/Olympians for the nation is also improving.

Furthermore, the Governor maintained that the Manipur Tourism has gained significant momentum in the last few years in the endeavour to attract tourists.

The government has successfully undertaken computerization of Land Records of four Revenue Circles during the year 2011 .

Concluding his speech, he stated that the integrity of the state and communal Harare two critical challenges and we should all join hands and unitedly protect and preserve the territorial integrity of the our state and further appealed to the people to stand united on the issues of common interest, saying that we all share a common destiny which transcends all barriers of community, caste, creed and ethnicity. Later in the evening, after the Governor's address, I Hemochandra, MLA, Singjamei A/C put up the motion of thanks which was seconded by Dr Kh Ratankumar, MLA of Mayang Imphal A/C .

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