Assembly passes Governor's address Give up bandh culture : CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 26 2015 : With the opening of the Manipur Legislative Assembly's monsoon session today, the Governor's address given to the House on February 25 was discussed and unanimously passed today.

Joining the deliberation, Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also the leader of the House called upon all concerned to give up the practice of calling bandhs and blockades after submitting a charter of demands without understanding exactly what they are demanding.

Bandhs and blockades would not bring anything positive except cause untold misery to the public.

Tending to the demands of part time Lecturers of either colleges or higher secondary schools would be only inviting more trouble.

There is a need to consider the demands of both the groups comprehensively.

Raising a demand is easy but translating it into action is not a cakewalk, Ibobi stated.

Dismissing the allegations of the Opposition that the State has failed in the education sector, the Chief Minister explained that results of the MPSC conducted civil services exam could not be declared because of pending cases in Court coupled with non-appointment of new Chairman.

Once a new Chairman is appointed, maximum efforts would be invested to complete all the pending DPCs.

MPSC has been entrusted with the task of appointing responsible Government officers so as to avoid corruption and undue interference by the Government.

He went on to claim that education service has improved quite a lot.

A public undertaking firm was sent to Manipur by the Government of India to estimate the volume of gas and petroleum products found in Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Churachandpur but local people denied the firm access to oil and gas reserves.

It would be a big loss for Manipur if the neighbouring States pump out oil and gas from the State.

Officials of the particular firm were here to work out profit sharing between the Government and the districts where gas and petroleum products are found, Ibobi stated.

If there should be oil exploration, it would be done with due consent of people of the respective districts.

In view of the State's sickly financial condition, the State Government has been lobbying with the Central Government not to remove special category status from Manipur.

The State Government has also been urging the Government of India to follow the earlier funding pattern of 90:10 between the Central Government and the State Government for all the ongoing projects.

The State Government has been working hard to bring uniform development between the hills and the valley and the Government is keen to ensure that there is no paucity of fund while implementing development projects in hill districts, Ibobi added.

Raising an amendment motion while discussing the Governor's address, Dr I Ibohalbi said that 128 Government schools out of total 332 drew blank in the Class X exam this year.

He also cautioned against the possibility of drawing petroleum products from Manipur by neighbouring States through underground channels.

Th Shyamkumar and Samuel Risom also took part in the discussion.

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