Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 08 2008:
Making its stand clear, All Manipur Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils Joint Action Committee has announced its decision of boycotting the forthcoming Parliament election besides launching various other intense form of agitations relentlessly including en-mass resignation of the councillors if the Government does not fulfil its long standing demands at the earliest possible.
Addressing a press conference at Oinam Ibohal Polytechnic at Keishampat here this afternoon, secretary of All Manipur Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils Joint Action Committee O Bimola Devi recalled that the demands for devolution of power and responsibility to the Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils in accordance with the provisions under 12th Schedule of the Constitution of India as well as under Article 36 of the Manipur Municipalities Act, 1994 have been put forward to the State Govt for the last many years.
As the State Government has not taken up any step in this regard even though it is already 14 years since the passing of the Manipur
Municipalities Act, 1994 by the State Assembly, the urban local bodies (ULBs) in Manipur are existing only in name sake, thus not being able to function properly, she lamented.
Although executive officer and staff are to be appointed in accordance to the provisions of the Manipur Municipalities Act, 1994, there has been no executive officer of the Nagar Panchayats nor staff for the ULBs in Manipur.
Nor there has been a full time director of the Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils, she pointed out , adding that non-appointment of full time directors on one hand and taking over the charge of MAHUD by the Chief Minister on the other hand has impeded ULBs in carrying out their works.
Demanding that the fund sanctioned for the development of urban area should be handed over to the ULBs, Bimola categorically stated that JAC would never accept diversion of Rs 6.43 crores released under the Urban Development Fund (UDF) Scheme for development of urban area by the Government for some other purposes.
The fund released during 2008-09 for the welfare programmes of the minority communities living in urban area should also be handed over to the ULBs, she demanded.
Maintaining that the honorarium amount of Rs 500 to Rs 1000 being paid to the councillors of ULBs is not enough, the JAC has also demanded that instead of honorarium, monthly salary should be given to the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Councillors of the Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Councils.
In case the Government fails to take up necessary steps towards fulfilment of these demands at the earliest possible, the JAC would boycott the forthcoming Parliament election along with launching various tense agitations, Bimola said.