Steps taken to check land sale to outsiders: Biren
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 22 2023: Informing the State Assembly that steps have been taken up to prevent outsiders from buying land in the valley without per mission of authorities concerned; CM N Biren said that no one will be allowed to own land, undergo mutation, registration or transfer of ownership without the approval of the Gram Sabha or the Municipality concerned.

Responding to a question raised by opposition MLA K Ranjit on regulations concerning buying and selling of land in the valley during the question hour of the Manipur Legislative Assembly session held on Wednesday, CM Biren said that government offices will be constructed at the foothills for which approval has been given to set up a land bank.

He then said that 1961 has been set as base year of ILP and all mutation and register processes done carelessly before and after the said year have been put to a stop.

In the last 3/4 years, the processes were approved only with the presence of a cabinet sub-committee.

Verification is now carried out tn ascertain whether outsiders are involved in any purchase or sale of land, which has now been regulated and included in the Acts and Rules concerned.

The CM continued that for anyone wanting to buy land in the valley falling under jurisdiction of the Panchayat, or for mutation or registration, approval will be given only after the Gram Sabha of the GP concerned has no objection.

For areas under the Municipality and Nagar Panchayat, the Municipality concerned must give its approval as already been published in the Gazette.

Further informing that a long-term plan till 2047 regarding the development of the valley has been formulated; Biren said that a State Planning Authority has been set up in this regard.

A mass survey has also been carried out to set up a land bank in consideration of the potential changes in the next 25 years.

The survey has identified over 82,852 acres of land, which would be declared as land bank of the government after the cabinet takes a decision on the same.

This will see to the relocation of infrastructures constructed in water bodies to the foothills, he added.

In response to a question raised by Opposition MLA Surjakumar Okram on startup scheme, CM N Biren informed the House that around 6498 beneficiaries have been identified for receiving financial support under the scheme, while around 5041 beneficiaries have already received the financial support.

Although the operation of units profitably fluctuates subject to the market, around 4719 business units are running smoothly, as per a report.

He then observed that there have been in stances of bank staff colluding with beneficiaries and not sanctioning the loan but availing the grant money.

This, in turn, is delaying the release of funds for around 800 beneficiaries.

During the COVID pandemic, around Rs 30 lakh was provided as subsidy to 4831 beneficiaries.

The government deposits the funds for the Start up in the bank, which is then released to the beneficiaries.

However, there have been cases of erroneous distribution of the funds.

Meanwhile, a mechanism is in place for Start-up 2.0, allowing online application and forming a monitoring group aside from the banks to ascertain whether the beneficiaries are eligible or not.

Around Rs 200 crore is allocated for Start-up 2.0 and a beneficiary is eligible financial support of up to Rs 1 crore.

The funds could be increased if the project is excellent.

A business unit is allowed to employ only 3 or 5 employees and nothing more than that.

Stating that the government is trying to further expand the scheme, the CM informed that a Manipur Credit Guarantee Scheme would be introduced on March 1, in collaboration with NEFTI and banks, for which an MoU has already been inked.

In addition, the government has set aside a corpus fund of Rs 10 crore for this new scheme, which could be further increased to Rs 700 crore by the banks.

This will, in turn, help support around 14000 beneficiaries.

Replying to another question raised by MLA Surjakumar Okram on post metric scholarship, Biren informed that around Rs 1731.71 lakh funds under PM-YASASVI meant for OBC students for 2021-22 is still pending as the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has not released the funds.

Additionally, around Rs 78.29 lakh funds under post- matric scholarship scheme for 1116 minority students for 2012-13 and 2013-14 has not been released.

For this, a notice was issued for re-verification of the beneficiaries, but many failed to show up.

Informing that there is no state fund in the post-matric scholarship scheme for 2021-22 but is sanctioned by the centre; the CM stated that the funds sanctioned for 2021-22 is around Rs 17.31 crore, which is to be distributed to 24,966 OBC students.

As such, there is no question of the government not providing the UC for the same.

Of the total amount of Rs 17.31 crore to be sanctioned, the centre released only Rs 1.02 crore.

He recounted that a DO letter was written to the Ministry on May 12 last requesting to sanction the total funds, to which the Ministry responded on May 27 that the funds could not be sanctioned.

Amidst this, a PIL was filed to the High Court over non-disbursal of the funds.

The government is trying its level best but as the sanctioned amount of Rs 1.02 crore alone cannot be distributed, the fund is being withheld, although there have been considerations to return the same.

Nonetheless, the final decision will depend on the outcome Of the PIL, Biren stated.

On the other hand, responding to a question raised by MLA K Ranjit on scrapping of old vehicles, Transport minister Khashim Vashum said that as per the VAHAN data, there are 1,10,674 vehicles in the state which are more than 15 years old.

Of this, 6965 are diesel-run vehicles and 103709 are petrol-run vehicles.

He also clarified that the scrapping of vehicles does not depend upon the age of the vehicle but on fitness of the vehicles.

According to Section 52A of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, all vehicles of government/PSU/Autonomous Bodies/State Transport Undertakings/Municipal Corporation/Panchayat, which are already 15 years old, are to be scrapped.

The scrapped vehicles will neither be auctioned nor allowed to be used anymore.

Informing that efforts are being made to open an Automated Testing Station (ATS) in the state, the minister said that if successful, Manipur will be first among the north-eastern states to have such a centre.

In case of private vehicles over 15 years of age, the citizens can continue to use them if the fitness test is in the positive.

For this, a specified year will be stated, he said, while adding that around 4,22,753 different vehicles are operating in the state till January this year, as per the VAHAN data.

Regarding a question raised by Ukhrul MLA Ram Muivah on schemes and projects taken up in Ukhrul district, while urging the House to include dairy products in Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP); Social Welfare minister H Dingo responded that around 13 different schemes and projects have been sanctioned for Ukhrul district for the ongoing financial year.

In accordance with the Ministry's guidelines, SNP cannot work against the specified rules and regulations.

He then said that previously, dairy products were provided on a regular manner.

But as reports of the products being sold off emerged, food items containing the nutritional value of milk were provided.

Responding to another question raised by MLA Ram Muviah on shortage of primary teachers, TA&H minister Letpao Haokip informed that as there is vacancy of around 231 teachers in primary schools under ADU Ukhrul, there is shortage of teachers in the said schools.

The number of sanctioned posts of teachers under ADC Ukhrul is 948, of which 717 teachers are in employment, while 213 posts are vacant.

As such, process is on to recruit 61 primary teachers under ADC Ukhrul, he added.

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