House passes seven demands for grants
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 03 2022: The House today passed seven demands for grants amounting to over Rs 3898 crore (Rs 3898,55,40,000) on the ninth day of the second session of the Manipur State Legislative Assembly.

The seven demand for grants which were passed are Education (Rs 2525,42,94,000); CAF&PD (Rs 167,76,64,000); Panchayat (Rs 138,89,10,000); Water Resources (Rs 939,35,73,000); Horticulture and Soil Conservation (Rs 92,44,99,000); Science and Technology (Rs 5,48,50,000) and Economic and Statistic (Rs 29,17,50,000).The seven demands for grants were brought up by the leader of the House Chief Minister N Biren Singh for discussion while Opposition MLAs K Ranjit, K Meghachandra, Th Lokeshwar and Surjakumar Okram moved a motion for policy cuts.

While taking part in the discussion, Sugnu AC MLA K Ranjit recalled that a decision was taken during a meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee to make Hindi a compulsory subject up to Class X in all North East States and to use the language as a lingua franca of the country on April 7 last.

Saying that Governments in Mizoram and Nagaland outrightly rejected the proposal of the Centre to impose Hindi, the MLA questioned the stand of the Manipur Government on the issue.

Ranjit further reminded that at least six student organisations of Manipur had also aired their grievances on the issue and added that the State Government has not made its stand on making Hindi a compulsory subject public.

Further stating that there is a provision under National Education Policy for the students to compulsorily learn their language and Hindi upto Class VIII, K Ranjit questioned the motive of the Centre impose Hindi upto Class X in all educational institutes in the North Eastern States.

To make the School Fagathansi Mission, it is imperative to recruit teachers to fill the vacant posts of teaching staff in Government schools, he opined and added that it would be impossible to alleviate the Government schools without adequate staff.

There are more private schools in Manipur than Government schools and it is a validation of the latter being in a bad shape, he said and added that the School Fagathansi Mission of the Government will not bear any fruit unless the vacant post of 72 teaching staff in the Government schools is filled.

K Ranjit also highlighted the woes of the farmers during his observation.

Saying that farmers normally invest about Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 in cultivating a sangam (land measurement in Manipuri) of paddy fields but couldn't earn more than Rs 15,000 in marketing their crops, the MLA continued that there are many other factors which discourage the farmers to continue planting crops.

"It would be pointless to save paddy fields if the farmers stop producing crops," he observed and suggested the Government procure the rice being grown by local farmers for distribution to the people under National Food Security Act (NFSA).

Congress MLA K Meghachandra stressed on the need to prepare a regular seniority list of the Education Department as in-charge officials who have the support of the people in power have been appointed as Principal and Vice Principal in different institutes.

Recalling that 707 lecturers of higher secondary were regularised in 2016 as per an order of the then Government, Meghachandra stated that the incumbent Government hand-picking 206 lecturers from among the 707 and giving them extra facilities was not a right decision and it must be revoked at the earliest.

The Government must also hold review meeting to renew the service of BoSEM Chairman who was placed under suspension with an extended period, he said and urged the Government to formulate a policy for recognising and abolition of Government aided schools and colleges in Manipur.

Th Lokeshwar, meanwhile, urged the Government to absorb Pravabati College, Naorem Birahari College, Mangolnganbi College and Royal Academy of Law which have adequate infrastructure and high enrolment rate and to complete the Dolaithabi project at the earliest.

The MLA also asked if the Government has prepared a work programme of the Water Resources Department for the year 2022-23.Surjakumar Okram asked if the Government has taken up any activities under National Education Policy in the State as the best medium of teaching, as per the NEP, is the mother tongue of the pupil.

Further asking under which fund Maharaj Kulachandra College having 24 constituent colleges would be established, the MLA urged the Government to upgrade all the colleges in Manipur to a multi disciplinary institute before the implementation of NEP and appoint a regular Director for SCERT.

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