Minister Basanta calls for settling land issues in hills
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 26 2022: Northeast Sustainable Development Initiative Rongmei Naga Baptist Association (NesDi-RNBA) celebrated its 37th anniversary at the conference hall of Rongmei Baptist Churches Council (RBCC) Centre Church, on Wednesday.

Speaking on the occasion, education, law and legislative affairs minister Th Basanta stressed the need for the community and church leaders to strive for solving the issue of land ownership in hills and further maintained that the government is focusing on alleviating poverty.

Pointing out that the government led by chief minister N Biren is mainly focusing on bringing a better way of living for the people, Th Basanta said that one of the significant initiatives taken up by the CM is introduction of Chief Minister gi Hakselgi Teng-bang which provides health insurance of up to Rs 5 lakh.

He urged the people to avail Chief Ministergi Hakshelgi Tengbang and learn local languages with stipend under the Local Language Training Programme.

Minister Basanta further said that the responsibility of all the 60 MLAs elected by the people is to frame laws for the welfare of the people and people on their side need to give some time to the government while formulating a new law.

The recent decision tak en by the government regarding legalisation of liquor does not mean that consumption of liquor will make one healthy, but it is an initiative to ensure consumption of quality-maintained liquor.

While pointing out that liquor has been restricted for the last 30 years, but not much has changed, the minister gave his observation that it would be wrong to compare drugs and liquor in this regard.

For drugs, the state government has been carrying out war on drugs campaign.

Moreover, the government will collect funds from liquor legalisation, he added.

Regarding the NesDi-RNBA, he said: "I was not aware about the humongous works of this organisation.

It has significant collaboration with donors like NABARD, Azim Premji Foundation, Veddis Foundation, Bread for the World, Germany and others.

These donors have come to RNBA because of its work, sustainable efforts and credibility of 37 years" .

Of the various thematic areas where RNBA works in, the minister applauded Forest Restoration with Locally Important Species (FORLIS), a model which promises livelihood, conservation and enhanced ecosystem.

In his address, NesDi-RNBA executive director Dimgong Rongmei said that the 37th anniversary is being celebrated on the theme 'Celebrating the past for a glorious future' .

"We wish to learn from our past - both mistakes and successes - and move towards a glorious, successful future where we can imagine development for and with the most marginalised and oppressed people of Manipur", he said.

Manipur State Rural Livelihood Mission state mission director N Bandana Devi said that she looks forward to meaningful collaboration in the next three years in the districts of Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Senapati and Imphal East with more possible collaborations with World Bank.

The celebration was also attended by Tamenglong A/C MLA Janghemlung Panmei, NesDi-RNBA board member L Timothy Phaomei and RBCC general secretary Mani Gangmei among others.

A souvenir and an annual report were also published in connection with the event.

The event also saw the launch of the organisation's collaboration with Veddis Foundation for implementing Manipur State Rural Livelihood Mission in the districts of Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Senapati and Imphal East.

It may be mentioned here that NesDi-RNBA is a non-profit, secular and non-governmental organisation actively engaging in the relief and social development of people in Manipur for the last 37 years and also has its presence in Nagaland and Assam.

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