ST status for Meiteis can be recommended after report from MSC for ST : Biren
Respect elected Members: CM to bureaucrats
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2017: Chief Minister N Biren has categorically stated that bureaucratic officers who do not respect elected Members of the House nor pick up phone calls made by elected Members cannot be pardoned .

During question hour today, Opposition Member N Loken today demanded reshuffling/replacement of the bureaucratic officers of Bishnupur district on the charge they adopted a discriminatory approach while distributing flood relief materials apart from not responding to his phone calls .

He also asked the Government the monetary value of the devastation caused by the recent flood .

Responding to the query, N Biren stated that the State Government has sent a final damage report of Rs 358.23 crore to the Central Government .

The State Government has already released Rs 4.7 crore as relief assistance through the 15 Deputy Commissioners.

Another Rs 2.10 crore has also been released .

Loken lamented that officials have more respect for a BJP Councillor than an elected MLA.

Such discriminatory attitude of district administration officials would have ugly consequences .

Starting from DCs who were discriminatory, all the Heads of Departments must be replaced, Loken urged the Government .

"It is a matter of serious concern if what the MLA said was true", Biren remarked .

He warned that all the bureaucrat officers must respect all the elected Members of the House.

Indiscipline and disrespect would not be tolerated, Biren said .

He advised all the DCs to treat all the flood affected people uniformly without seeing their political affiliations or leaning .

To another query raised by K Meghachandra regarding the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST category, the Chief Minister stated that a gazette notification was issued on August 8, 2016 under the Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribe Act 2014 .

Both Meiteis and Tangkhuls were listed in the Scheduled Tribe category till the 1931 census, claimed Meghachandra said.

Pointing out that Tangkhuls still belong to ST category, Meghachandra urged the Government to initiate necessary procedures to get Meiteis re-listed in ST category .

Chief Minister N Biren maintained that the State Government can recommend the matter to the Centre after the Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribe Act 2014 submits a report .

To a query raised by K Ranjit with a reference to the repeal of AFSPA from seven Assembly segments in 2004, Biren stated that the law and order situation has improved considerably and the Government would examine from which other Assembly segments AFSPA can be repealed.

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