Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 02 2010:
A delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), comprising both its Central and State representatives submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh detailing the likely impact of the State government's decision to suspend the imphal Municipal Council for six months.
The delegation led by Lok Sabha MP Bijoya Chakraborty and State unit BJP's secretary (Media Affairs) L Bashanta Sharma and secretary Yanglet Haokip termed suspension of IMC as undemocratic and a ploy to misuse funds allocated to the IMC under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
Under the Mission's funding, development of Imphal City, including sanitation programmes, was supposed to be carried out at an estimated cost of Rs 1876 crores for which, 2012 was set as the deadline to complete all related projects.
Highlighting to the Prime Minister that as per guidelines of the scheme it is mandatory that implementing agencies should have elected bodies in position, the BJP representation suggested that Dr Manmohan put on hold execution of the schemes in municipal areas of Imphal till revival or reconstitution of the Council.
Further pointing out that suspension of IMC contravenes certain clauses that governs establishment of the Council, the BJP team outrightly placed before the PM that decision of the State Government is an extra-constitutional act which the BJP condemns.
Prior to submission of the memorandum, the contents were deliberated by top party leaders including Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, SS Ahluwalia, Prakash Javedkar, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Chandrasekhar Rao, informed L Bashanta.
As had been assured by a number of BJP leaders during their visit to manipur, the saffron party had been highlighted various problems faced by the people of Manipur such a frequent disruption transportation of goods on both NH 39 and 53, financial irregularities, abuse of power, as well as the volatile law and order situation, reminded the BJP State unit secretary.