Imphal, August 09 2010: TN Haokip, Minister of PHED, DIPR and Tourism, today declared that the Antyodaya Anna Yojana popularly known as AAY will be made available to all people living with HIV & AIDS (PLHIV) in Churachandpur district.

The Minister made this statement as the Manipur Legislators' Forum on HIV&AIDS (MLFA) kick starts a one-day constituency level convention on HIV & AIDS today at Saikot in Churachandpur, the first in a series of 60 such conventions to be held in 60 constituencies in the state.

The declaration was made following request from representatives of the Consortium of Positive People Churachandpur (CPPC) who submitted a list of demands at the function.

.TSangte, General Secretary of the consortium and a member of the Positive Speakers' Bureau (PSB) along with his colleagues submitted the list to the minister and MLAs present at the function today.

Their other requests include NREGS job cards (now Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) for PLHIV, ART centre at Moreh, PLHIV Drop-in-centre at Churachandpur, short-stay home and vocational training centers for HIV positive women and nutritional support for babies born to HIV positive mothers.

Underlining MLFA's political commitment toward fighting the epidemic T..NHaokip, said that everyone should join hands with people living with HIV & AIDS and check its further spread.

"Together it's our duty towards god and mankind".

Coordinating the initiative Sushil Huidrom, State Coordinator, UNAIDS-MLFA, said that similar conventions will be held in 60 constituencies of the state which has an elected representative in the state legislative assembly.

The MLFA plans to hold four such conventions every month.

Former Mr.Manipur 2007, Khundrakpam Pradipkumar who is living with HIV said that such convention which witness participants from diverse walks of lifepoliticians, civil society and faith-based organizations, local leaders and studentswill in the long run ensure a coordinated response in overcoming stigma and discrimination associated with HIV & AIDS.

"Stigma and discrimination is the bane of this illness and we have to fight it together", added Pradipkumar who is also the brand ambassador of the Manipur State AIDS Control Society (MACS).

Urging people living with HIV & AIDS to be resilient and make best use of services provided by the government and NGOs, Dr.Kh.

Ratankumar, MLA Mayang Imphal assembly constituency, and Governing Council Member of MLFA, said that local clubs and leaders have to join the fight against HIV.

"Every one of us should join hands to create an environment so that they (people living with HIV & AIDS) can freely mingle with us, without any inhibition".

Doukhomang Khongsai, MLA from Saikul and Governing Council Member, MLFA, who spoke at the convention today, said that the church and students' leaders have a big role to play in HIV prevention.

"I have requested pastors and student leaders to attend the convention in my constituency (Saikul) to be held in October this year".

The initiative has been made possible with the contributions of the 60 MLAs who have kept aside one lakh rupees each from their local area development fund besides 60 lakhs contributed from the state budget.

The amount will be utilized in similar initiatives in their respective constituencies.

Sushil said that besides the monetary contribution the response has been encouraging.

"There is an increasing realization that a lot has to be done on this front, there are a lot of suggestions on how the initiative can be taken forward in their constituencies", he added.

The Manipur Legislators' Forum on HIV & AIDS (MLFA) was formed on 30th June, 2007 with all the 60 sitting MLAs forming the general body of the forum and the Chief Minister as the forum's chief patron.

The forum was constituted primarily to strengthen the capacity of elected people's representatives to legislate policies aimed at effective prevention, treatment, care and support of People Living with HIV & AIDS (PLHIV) and to influence stakeholders and policymakers to accord high priority to HIV & AIDS.

The same year in October the MLFA Executive Committee was formed with seven MLAs from various political parties, including the Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.

In Nov 2009 the committee was rechristened as the MLFA Governing Council with 13 members including the Speaker as the chairman of the council.

Since its inception the MLFA has been able to orient its members to various issues related to HIV & AIDS through site visits, consultation workshops, public hearings and interaction with various government and non government organizations.

Under the guidance of MLFA the Manipur State Panchayat Forum on HIV & AIDS has been formed and the process for amendment of the State AIDS Policy, 1996, is underway.

For further information please contact Surjakanta Ngangom, Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR), # 96121 55871, [email protected] .

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