Rs 443 crore pending power bill to consumers: CM Ibobi
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 03 2015 : A huge amount of Rs 443,62,94,497 pending electric bill is yet to be cleared by various electricity consumers in the State said Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.

Answering to a question raised by MLA K Shyam during the assembly session on Friday the Chief Minister said that electricity consumers in the State seldom clear their bills and that the State is finding hard to collect tax from the public.

He also said that every month the State is spending a sum of Rs 20 to 21 crores in purchasing units of electricity from outside the State but could collect hardly Rs 10 crores per month which is possible after the introduction of prepaid connections.

The State Government is keen on taking up certain measures which will make tax collection easier the chief minister informed.

Home Minister Gaikhangam answering to the query of MLA Shyamkumar said that the total number of police required for the State is 33,745.Total number of vacancy is 7557.And the number of vacancy needed to fill in is 4393.He also said that the government is keen on taking up the issue of vacancy in the police department.

Answering to a query by MLA Nandakumar, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said that a formal proposal has been made to the Ministry of Tourism by the State Government to erect solar lamps in the Kangla Fort area and some other places.

Immediate steps will be taken up after the proposal is approved, the Chief Minister said.

Upon a question put up by MLA Samuel Rishoma, the Chief Minister who is also taking the charge of Art and Culture said that there is no district level Art and Culture office in the hill districts.

However a formal letter has already been sent to the district commissioners to identify land measuring 5 acres in their respective districts.

Further development will be taken up after the land or proposed site for opening office are identified.

The Chief Minister who is also taking the charge of Minor Irrigation answering to a question raised by MLA K Shyam said that so far 157 ILR Scheme has been constructed at private lands taking the interest of the farmers.

The irrigation works are in progress and he further said the government has not decided yet whether to compensate or not for the private lands.

In another query from RK Imo, the Chief Minister said that steps have been taken up to provide street lamps along the National Highway 53 area starting from Waheng Leikai to Tera.

Sekmai Dam construction underway: Chief Minister
Construction of Sekmai Dam is in progress under Minor Irrigation Department and any mistakes during the construction works will be looked into.

This was stated by the Chief Minister in the Assembly on Friday.

Answering to the calling attention motion by MLA L Ibomcha the Chief Minister said that the construction of the Dam was started in 2011 with funding from NEC.

Total cost of the Dam is estimated to be Rs 8.20 crores and so far Rs 3.10 crores have already been sanctioned.

The trial run on the Dam detected leakages at the wall which is being mended now, said the chief minister.

The vigilance commission is taking up a case about the fault in the Dam and investigation is on, said the Chief Minister.

Already three officials have been warned for negligence of duty regarding the matter.

Bringing up the calling attention motion L Ibomcha said that the crack which appeared in the Dam should have been reported in time.

It is being reported in the newspaper several times and the Government should keep a watchful eye.

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