Imphal, February 20 2009: Union Minister of DoNER and Panchayati Raj, Mani Shankar Aiyer today affirmed that the central government was doing all it can to invest in the state to bring it on par with other states of the country in terms of development.The Union Minister was also full of praise for the state and pointed out that the growth rate of Manipur was three to four times more than that of other states in the country. On a brief one day visit to the state today to lay the foundation stone of the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Khuman Lampak in Imphal East, the DoNER Minister announed that the ISBT would stand as a landmark of Imphal city and symbol of Manipur as being connected to the rest of the country. The Minister also informed that under the Look East Policy, the Union Ministry was trying to bring Manipur, which is on the edge, to the centre by building relations with South East Asia through Myanmar.

Mani Shankar Aiyer also revealed that the cost of the terminus would be worth Rs 26.44 crores and that the three storeyed terminus will initially have a capacity of 106 buses and gradually be increased to 500 buses with world class facilities like escalators, internet facilities, tracking system, time management monitoring system and banks, ATMs, shopping malls, etc. Addressing the gathering, the Minister informed that though the North Eastern region shares only 8% of the geographical structure of the country, the Government of India was committed to investing 10% in the development of the region. The Minister also reminded that Vision 2020 document was released with the objective of bringing about developmental changes in the region and said that the central government is hoping to invest a sum of Rs.14 lakh crores in the development of the region.

Besides these plans, the DoNER Minister informed that the government has planned three major projects which include training and capacity building measures, establishing joint ventures with the NEFI to set up major banks and to bring in private investment in the region from abroad as well as from the country.

Asserting that the most important break-through for the region was not far away, the Union Minister of DoNER revealed there were plans to take the Chief Ministers of the region to Dhaka on March 4 and 5 to discuss on mattesr of transit facility between the region and Bangladesh.

The Minister also had high praises for the state of Manipur and stated that the state was growing at a rate of 11 percent which was 3 to 4 times higher than other states of the country.

Chief Minister of Manipur, O Ibobi, also addressing the gathering as president appealed the general public to bear with the decision of the government for imposing curfew which according to him will gradually be relaxed in connection with the situation.

The chief minister also clarified that the reason behind the imposition of the curfew was to avoid giving any advantages to some anti-social elements and added that the state government will not tolerate any communal tone in the state.

The chief minister also pointed out that the law and order situation of the state was turning away many companies from setting up their centres or branches in the state.

Singh also observed that more than the problem of insurgency could be solved if the educated unemployed youths of the state were given work.

Meanwhile, the Central Bus Terminus Lessee’s Welfare Association, Khuman Lampak, informed that they are prepared to file a legal suit against the concerned department dealing with the construction of the inter state bus terminus for their allege betrayal and failure to compensate the affected lessee.

Informing the media persons about the condition during a press held at Babupara, Imphal, the treasurer of the association stated some of the lessees affected by the construction were not provided compensation despite the commitment given by the transports minister.

The treasurer also asserted that they were surprised to learn about the sudden foundation stone laying ceremony amidst unfinished tussle between the concerned authority including the Imphal Municipality Council on the matter of compensation.

Comment