Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, March 16:
The All Tribal Students Union, Manipur has urged the Chief Minister O Ibobi to re-introduce reservation of vacancies in post and services (SC/ST) Amendment Bill 2006 in the ongoing Assembly session which began from today.
Issuing a joinyt statement signed by ATSUM president, John Pulamte and its general secretary Thomas Taishya today, it mentioned that the Manipur Reservation of Vacancies in Post and Services (for SC/ST) Amendment Bill 2006 which was passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly on September 18 last year needed to be re-introduced as suggested to the Chief Minister during his previous tenure by the Governor.
While congratulating the Chief Minister for leading the Congress party to victory in the 9th Assembly election held recently and returning to power for the second consecutive term, ATSUM said that they took the opportunity in reminding the pending issue with his (CM) earlier Govt urging for immediate attention.
The statement pointed out that an agreement was reached between ATSUM and the State Govt on September 20 last year with regard to the then recruitment process of 671 sciences and arts graduate teachers for schools both in hills and the valley which says 'wherever there is a backlog of ST reservation exceeding 50% of the vacancies taken together with normal percentage of reservation for ST available in the current recruitment, the ST vacancies will be filled upto 50% of the advertised vacancies'.
It added that the Government unilaterally violated the agreement and promised to rectify following that ATSUM expects to take up the issue in the first Cabinet meeting of the new Govt.Further, the statement observed that the state Govt on December 4 last year had granted administrative approval of Rs 1500 lakhs under SPA-2006-07 for constructing schools and qaurters, where maximum implementation programme are to be undertaken in the hills and interior areas entrusting to MHPC, MTDC, DRDA and engineering cell of Education (S) as implementing agencies.
"we would like to suggest that the said work should not be given to any contractor or private agency but it should be directly to the village where the school is located", said ATSUM.
It further contended that the officials concerned, the chairman/chief of the village, the school headmaster concerned, staff and tribal student bodies should be actively involved in the work.
The tribal students cautioned it will be compelled to agitate if their plights are not heeded.