Apart from the recent report brought out by AMSU after conducting an inspection of Kasom Khullen area in Ukhrul district, it has been the common knowledge among the people on lack of governance in rural areas and more particularly in the remote hill areas of Manipur.
There might be various factors responsible for not being able to extend the same kind of facilities available at Imphal in this remote areas.
Like the difficulties in construction of all-weather road, set up schools, health centres or supply potable water and electricity in remote villages having just five or six residential houses, that too located at far distance from the main road and after trudging through undulating terrains.
Nonetheless, condition seems to be not better off even for those people who are settling in places which are suitably located and where such difficulties that might pose challenges in taking up developmental work are absence.
Such places also remain like extended jungle area with no sign of any Government machinery at work anywhere.
On the other hand, lack of maintenance and commitment to do so on the part of the Government after having initiated some developmental works at a place has led to existence of schools without proper building and teaching staff, electric posts bereft of power transmission line, water taps that remain dry throughout year and water supply schemes or projects have been never commissioned.... The list is endless.
In short, the State Government has failed to deliver the good to the people and the developmental work happens only on the paper.
Although the failed promises and the most needed oiling of the rusted machinery of the Government are being felt equally by the people living both in the hill and the valley, there is no gain saying to the fact that the situation is more severe in the hill area.
It is on seeing such abject underdevelopment that the Government is being criticised and made the easy target. However, on hindsight, criticising the Government would entail criticising the people themselves. After all it is the people who have elected and placed the Government in the first place.
So whatever be the undoings or achievements of the Government everything should not boil down to the people.
Instead of heaving blames, it should be the collective responsibility of the people and their elected representatives, to find out the lacunae so that it could be fixed up in time and rectify the mistakes, if there is any, so that it is not repeated.
Criticising and blaming each other would not work and solve any of the problem lying in front of us all.
The mind-set of holding the Government responsible for any of its alleged failure or remaining indifferent until one feels the heat should be done away with for good.
There should be better co-ordination and understanding between the Government and the governed for better governance.
After all, one should not forget it takes two to tango.
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