Imphal, July 15 2009: The State Assembly today passed five demands with a total amount of Rs 398.38 crores for the fiscal 2009-2010 .

The demands and the amounts are Demand no.7 which relates to Police (Rs 3,75,50,38,000), Demand no.24 which relates to Vigilance (Rs 1,76,10,000), Demand no.31 relating to Fire Protection and Control (Rs 4,33,96,000), Demand no.32 which relates to Jail (Rs 8,85,41,000) and Demand no.33 which relates to Home Guard (Rs 7,92,78,000) .

Leader of the House, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh introduced the demands for discussion and passing while Opposition members like O Joy, Radhabinod Koijam, Dr Ng Bijoy, Dr I Ibohalbi, RK Anand and Morung Makunga put up cut motions.

Participating in the discussion, O Joy observed that in the current law and order situation, strengthening of the Police and stepping up of the Jail security are essential.

He pointed out that even before the incident of killing contractor Krishnadas and arrest of Nando, raids conducted by the Commandos in the jail have led to seizure of mobile phones.

Deployment of VDF for Jail security could never be a lasting policy and it is questionable what the senior officer of the IG rank who has been given the responsibility of manning the Jail has been doing all these years, Joy said.

Contending that 30 percent of the law and order problem in the State are related to drug abuse and drug trafficking, Joy pointed out that the persons used by Nando for killing Krishnadas and those involved in the abduction of Megha are all drug abusers.

So instead of releasing the drug abusers after being arrested by the police, they should be lodged in the jails which are lying unused, Joy proposed.

Radhabinod Koijam also stressed on improving the existing jail administration and system.

He wished for giving more time to the visitors coming to the jail for meeting and imparting vocational training to the inmates for ensuring set employment and income generation.

In connection with the Police Department, Radhabinod suggested that steps should be taken up to win to confidence of the people and police should be given human approach training.

He contended that the failure of the cases taken up by the police in the State is due to mixing up of insurgency and criminal angles in the investigation.

Dr Ng Bijoy said the condition of the road connecting the police stations should be improved, telephone facilities should be provided and upto date equipments should be procured.

He also proposed for filling up the vacant posts in Manipur Fire Services, implement the ACP, imparting vocational training to the prisoners to help in rehabilitating them, increasing the remuneration of the Home Guards and giving incentive awards to those who performed their duties diligently.

Dr I Ibohalbi raised the proposal for keeping Manipur Police Wireless as an organised department, releasing the remuneration of the Home Guards through bank accounts and bringing them within the ambit of MGEL.

Morung Makunga noted that the budget allocation of the Manipur Fire Services is very limited and expressing favour of bringing Fire services under the disaster management.

In response to the discussion, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said interrogation of Ashalata in connection with the killing of Krishnadas has led to the conclusion that Th Nando is the main culprit.

In connection with the killing, jailor L Biren, house warders H Babu, Ruhidas and Philip R Naga have been suspended from service.

Furthermore, two Additional SPs and 43 jailors have been transferred to other districts.

The Chief Minister informed the House that NSA detainee undertrial prisoners are normally transfer to jails outside the State.

But after the CBI started investigation into the killing of Lungnila Elizabeth restrictions have been imposed on such transfers.

In all 30 armed police personnel and 100 unarmed personnel are being deployed inside the jail with CRPF providing security outside, the Chief Minister said, adding that for the rehabilitation of the inmates, the Government is studying the existing jail manuals of other States as well.

He also informed the House that recommendation has been received from the Government for India for merger of Fire Service, Civil Police, Home Guards and Disaster Management.

Necessary arrangements have been made for releasing the remuneration of the Home Guards through bank accounts and they have already been brought under MGEL.

He said the Government always keeps its door open for talks with the UG groups.

However, it can take the responsibility of bringing in a third party like UN.

After listening to the response of the Chief Minister, the Opposition members withdrew their cut motions and the demands were passed by the House.

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