No intention of grabbing private land: CM
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 24 2013 : Clarifying that there is no intention on the part of the State Government to confiscate private lands in Matripukhri area, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has informed that the Government is planning to set up the RBI Regional branch in the Regional Tasar Centre at Mantripukhri.

The Chief Minister was speaking as Chief Guest of the inaugural function of a 4-day long training/orientation programme for Haj Pilgrims organized by Manipur State Haj Committee at Madrasa Alia, Lilong today.

The Chief Minister further said that the hue and cry among the people over the alleged issue that the State Government is trying to confiscate private lands at Mantripukhri to set up a branch of RBI was caused due to misunderstandings between the government and the public.

"There is no intention of the State Government to grab private lands in Mantripukhri for the purpose.

The officials of RBI did arrive here at Imphal to check suitable site for setting up a branch.

The RBI officials along with the State Government officials inspected some of the areas to the north of the IT Park at Mantripukhri and had asked whether it could be feasible to open a branch of RBI in the area.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh offering Namaz along with other devout Muslims on the occasion of an orientation programme organised for Haj pilgrims

But there was no discussion among the officials to confiscate the land of the area.

The people of the area had been misinformed by certain self-centred politicians", the Chief Minister asserted, adding that no religious places will be destroyed or damaged in the process of setting up the bank branch.

The Chief Minister went on to disclose that National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) and State bank of India (SBI) have also asked to provide area for setting up their branch offices in the State.

As such, the State Government is planning to provide spaces for all the banks at the place where the Regional Tasar Centre is located.

The State government is also planning to shift the office of Regional Tasar Centre somewhere along the foothills where there is enough space.

Assuring that the State Government will never come up with anything which might hurt the sentiments and feeling of the minority community in the State and that the government is focusing on the development of underdeveloped parts of the State, Chief Minister O Ibobi stated that 80% of the total amount of funds sanctioned by the Central government in the State for developmental programmes are being invested in the hill areas.

Ninety percent of the total investment under PMGSY, which is around Rs 500 crores are being used for developing the roads and bridges in the hill areas.

The Chief Minister also pointed out the need to provide government teachers for teaching subjects like English, Science and Maths in the Madrasas and said that it would also be wise to discuss the problems faced by the students in pursuing general studies after passing out from the Madrasas.

Presided over by MLA Md Amin Shah, who is the Parliamentary Secretary in-charge of MOBC & SC/Science and Technology, the function was also attended by Md Abdul Nasir, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries; MLA Md Fajur Rahim, who is also the Chiarman of Wakf Board, Manipur and Moulana S Nooruddin, Sadre Mudarris, Madrasa Alia as Guests of Honour.