Imphal, June 12 (NNN): In order to raise the bar of development of the hill districts in Manipur at par with the valley districts, the government will construct about eight market sheds in the hill districts, said Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh Saturday at Congress Bhavan during the felicitation cum reception function of the freshly elected Congress councilors of the recently held Imphal Municipality Council (IMC) elections.
About 75 percent of the funds under non-lapsable central pool of resources (NLCPR) are utilized in the hill districts so that the status of the hill districts are raised at par the valley districts and that both the valley and hill districts enjoy the status of being equal, said the chief minister.
Fifty percent of funds under tribal development department have been devolved to the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) as per the decision taken by the cabinet, Mr Ibobi added. Updating the people on his meeting with delegates from World Bank yesterday, the chief minister said that Manipur will soon have uninterrupted power supply with the construction of the proposed 400 KV power distribution lines with loan from World Bank.
Imphal city has been selected by central government to be amongst the 63 mission city projects that are set to undergo renovation and facelift, said the chief minister, adding that the people must help the government by cultivating civic sense.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee chief Gaikhangam who also spoke on the occasion congratulated the performance of Congress candidates in the recently held IMC elections where it secured absolute majority. Mr Gaikhangam said, the absolute majority secured by Congress in the IMC elections is a clear indication that the people of the state will vote the party back in power in the forthcoming general elections slated to held early next year.
He went on to say that the party under the stewardship of chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh is the only government who has ever been in power in the state consecutively, and added that Congress party will honor the mandate of the people. Elections to the ADCs were held after a long interregnum despite strong oppositions, but now the ones that had opposed the conduct of the election are making allegations against the government at the delay of setting up ADC offices is hill districts, said MPCC chief.
The reception function today felicitated 14 elected IMC councilors from the Congress and two independent candidates supported by the party. Speaker of Manipur Legislative Assembly I Hemochandra also attended the event besides ministers and MLAs from the Congress.