UNC urges union minister to reject project proposals
Source: Chronicle News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, November 02 2023:
United Naga Council (UNC), in a letter, urged union minister of tribal affairs Arjun Munda to disregard the project proposals submitted to the ministry of tribal affairs by Manipur Khadi & Village Industries Board (KVIB) .
The UNC letter, made available to Newmai News Network, said that proposals for six projects with consideration for the valley-based NGOs based in Imphal East and Imphal West districts were sent by the vice-chairman of KVIBV claiming that these NGOs were working tirelessly for the tribals in remote areas of Manipur.
UNC argued that KVIB has its own ministry and, therefore, submitting proposals to the ministry of tribal affairs without specifying the targeted beneficiaries and locations/areas for implementation was "ultra vires and a ploy to siphon off the fund allocated for the tribals".
The letter also emphasised that the Tribal Affairs & Hills Manipur, as the nodal department in charge of tribal programmes and activities, should be responsible for plan formulation, documentation, work proposals, and related matters, not any other agency.
UNC further pointed out that the ministry had identified priority districts in the state, such as Tamenglong with 95.72 per cent of ST population, Ukhrul with 94.35 per cent, Churachandpur with 92.94 per cent, Chandel with 88.97 per cent, and Senapati with 87.49 per cent.
Therefore, the allocation of funds under proviso to article 275(1) of the constitution of India is intended for promoting the welfare of ST in the state.
Allocating these funds to valley-based NGOs would disrupt the execution of tribal programmes and have a negative impact on addressing critical gaps, it maintained.