Manipur CM highlights economic revival with increased GST collections

Guwahati: Despite battling challenges on ethnic clashes in last one and half years, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh claimed that economy of the state is reviving. He said GST collection has shown an 18% growth in the period of May to September in 2024 compared to similar period in 2023.

Biren in a series of post in X, "Sharing some key achievements that prove progress is possible, even through the challenges Manipur has faced over the past one and half year. The State Government has been making various efforts towards economic recovery following the unrest that started on 3 May 2023. Following these efforts our State’s economy has shown recovery. The State’s Own Resources (including State GST) has shown an 18% growth in the period of May to September in 2024 compared to similar period in 2023".

He added, "We have also made various efforts to expedite delayed projects. We are resolving various land related matters for National Highway and Railway projects. Solutions have been found for the land related matters for Railways and about 50% of pending land has been made available in the last one year for National Highway Projects.In the last year we have also started some major projects. The Lamphelpat Water body Rejuvenation Project with a cost of Rs. 650 crore is under implementation. This project will enable us to prevent floods in greater Imphal area and also provide an open space for citizens as well as an alternate drinking water source".

The chief minister stated, "The Imphal Sewerage Project Phase II with an outlay of Rs. 1100 crore is also under implementation. It will provide much needed sewerage services in the Imphal Municipal Area.Apart from these, the Imphal Ring Road project with an outlay of Rs. 1660 crore and Rigid Pavement roads project with an outlay of Rs. 3300 crore are in the final preparatory stages and works are expected to start soon"

Biren said, "In the last year we have launched and started implementation of ‘College Fagathansi Mission’ with an initial outlay of Rs. 60 crores to improve Government Colleges across the State to provide quality education. This is in continuation of the ‘ School Fagathansi Mission’ which we had started in 2019 to improve the quality of Government schools."

The ethnic violence between the non-tribals Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo broke out in the northeastern state on May 3 last year after a ' Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

So far, over 230 people have been killed in the strife. As many as 11,133 houses have been set on fire, out of which 4,569 homes have been completely destroyed. A total of 11,892 cases have been registered in different police stations in connection with the ethnic violence. The state government has established 302 relief camps to provide shelter to 59,414 internally displaced persons.

Election to ADC

The Hill Areas Committee, Manipur Legislative Assembly has resolved to recommend to government to conduct the long pending election to the Autonomous District Councils.

Hill area committee chairman Diganglung Gangmei in a statement stated," In reference to the Cabinet Decision , Government of Manipur dated 13.06.2024 on election of local bodies, the Committee after a threadbare discussion, unanimously resolves to recommend to the Government of Manipur, to conduct the long pending election to the Autonomous District Councils as soon as possible. As the system of Caretaker Chairmanship has been cancelled vide order in compliance of the Gauhati High Court order dated 15,03.2024 passed in WA.No.353 of 2023 , in order to run the administration of ADCs, a Committee consisting a total of 20 members for each ADCs shall be constituted of whom 18 members shall be selected from amongst the former ADC members. "

The Kuki-Zo tribal community in Manipur remained firm for a separate administration like the Union Territory with a Legislative Assembly exclusively for the tribals similar to the Union Territory of Puducherry.

Tribal leaders said on Wednesday that two Ministers and two MLAs belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribal community during a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told the Center that a separate administration like that of Union Territory with a legislative assembly for the Kuki-Zo community is a prerequisite for any peace dialogue.

“We want a Puducherry model of Union Territory in Manipur for the Kuki-Zo tribal community. We have been demanding for a separate administration for the tribals since the ethnic crisis began in May last year,” a Kuki MLA, who attended Tuesday's Delhi meeting said.

Union and the state governments have on a number of occasions earlier also rejected the demand for separate administrations or a Union Territory.

17 months after the ethnic violence erupted in Manipur, the MHA held the first meeting with all three major communities -- Meitei, Kuki, and Naga -- in a bid to find a way to a peaceful solution to the protracted unrest.

The non-tribal Meiteis account for around 53 per cent of Manipur’s around 3.2 million population and live mostly in the valley regions comprising 6/7 districts while the tribal Nagas and Kukis constitute another 40 per cent of the population and reside in the hill districts, which cover around 90 per cent of the geographical areas of Manipur.

The Valley region has a total of 40 non-tribal Meitei MLAs, while the hills have 19 MLAs divided between the Naga and the Kuki-Zo tribes and one seat reserved for the Scheduled Caste community.

Sources said that around seven Ministers and 13 legislators from Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities took part in the meeting called by the Intelligence Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

They said that MHA’s advisor, North East Affairs, A. K. Mishra, Intelligence Bureau’s Joint Director Rajesh Kumble and other senior officials and BJP’s North-East India Coordinator Sambit Patra, the saffron party’s Manipur in-charge Ajeet Gopchade were present at the meeting.