Imphal, December 07: Samata Party leader and former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam informed The Sangai Express today that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has given the green signal to the setting up of five fresh ITI centres in the State.

Radhabinod Koijam who returned from Delhi yesterday said the ITI centres would come up at Tamenglong, Ukhrul, Sugnu, Kakching Wairi and Ningthoukhong.

The Centre has agreed to sanction Rs 11 crores needed for setting up the five ITI centres.

The former Chief Minister further said that the Prime Minister has agreed to sanction Rs 3.35 crores to better the existing infrastructure in the four ITI Centres under operation in the State.

Radhabinod said he met Union Home Minister on December 3 and urged him to shift the Assam Rifles from Kangla soon.

Koijam said he also impressed upon the Home Minister to vacate the firing range at Chingmeirong.

Highlighting the fact that security personnel and State police men rarely produce arrest memo at the time of arrest of any suspect, Radhabinod urged the Home Minister to rein in the security personnel and make them go by the book.

Koijam also urged Advani to amend POTO.

Koijam also met Union Rural Development Minister Ven-kaiah Naidu and urged him to release adequate fund for developing the rural areas.

Koijam told Naidu that due to inadequate fund released to the Panchayat and Jilla Parishad all development works in the rural areas have come to a grinding halt.

He urged Naidu to release the required fund needed for developing roads, bridges and provide housing material to the rural population.

Naidu assured all possible help, said Radhabinod.

The Minister also expressed regret that an appreciable amount of the fund meant for rural development has been misappropriated, Koijam added.

Railway Minister Nitish Kumar also assured Radhabinod Koijam that an order has been issued to finish the inspection and survey of the proposed rail head connecting Jiribam and Imphal.

Nitish was also positive to the idea of reserving seats for State youths in the recruitment drive for Railway Protection Force.

Koijam urged Defence Minister George Fernandes to form a Manipur Regiment and to launch special recruitment drive to ease the unemployment problem.

He also met Arun Shourie Minister in charge of North East and urged him to release adequate fund from the Non Lapsable Pool for developing the infrastructure of MU and Manipur Engineering College.

Koijam also mooted the idea of setting up an IIT at Manipur.

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