We have been saying consistently for quite some time that the fundamental problem of the State is not law and order, but relates to the quality of governance of the administration. Most recent unfoldings corroborate this perspective. Let me elaborate on the lived examples one by one.

Case 1: Last week the head of the people of the State, and ipso facto, the most important person in the State administration , lost his cool for the administration had spent only 10 per cent of the Plan allocation even after six months into the financial year. Interesting, it is.

But even more interesting was that the Friday of the week was a holiday, the following Saturday was also a holiday being the send Saturday of the month, and this was naturally followed by a Sunday. So practically we had three continuous days in a week when the State administration slept off in the same week when the head of the people sounded alarm over the non-utilization of Plan funds.

Can one imagine any place anywhere in the world where the administration would sleep off for continuously three days in a week!!. Well, it happened in Manipur, and we are performing and eating holidays. One wonders what principles are observed in deciding on holidays the State should have. All this is happening in this very State where the size of the government is a very important determinant of the outcome of the economy in any year.

The administration of the State has crying foul over the frequent bandhs and strikes in the State. But what we are living with is with unannounced and unnoticed bandhs and strikes imposed by the administration. This very character has forfeited the administration of any right to condemn the general strikes and bandhs in the State.

Case 2: Infrastructure construction, maintenance and repair anywhere in the world observe certain incontrovertible principles. I would not mention the principles, but speak of the lived example. In the Moirangkhom area, the highway was open on only one side and so only one side was opened for months together.

But only a few days back, the second side too was opened but with the road condition still worse. What is the principle which has been observed in this section, only the administration knows best. But if we are to follow the globally respected principles, by the time the closed section is open, the public should have been handed with a wonderfully improved road condition. Well, Manipur administration follows a “unique” norm!

Case 3: The third case relates to the ongoing fight the people of the Kyamgei area are waging as the after effects of recent damages caused by flash-flood. In any place, which has experienced natural calamities, the first priority of any administration is to restore normalcy of life at the shortest possible time.

This is why the local train services were back to normal the day after there were serious blasts. Natural calamities reduce the normative capability of any society, and every individual family is left to cope with itself. Here the role of the state is paramount to fill the gap caused by this while at the same time performing its normal responsibilities.

The immediate response to reduce the damages of flood remains of course with the security forces and the department of flood control. But this responsibility relates only to the first few hours after the flood. Once this period is over, the overall responsibility rests with the administration as a whole.

In order to restore normalcy to life to the hard pressed people, the State administration should have pressed its capability into service to restore electricity, water and other necessities of life to normalcy. This is also required to deter the anti-social elements from indulging in the troubled waters. But this definitely has not happened.

The upshot of my argument is that the State now needs an administration displaying the willingness and committed to working. It just cannot expect the people to perform when it itself idles on.