Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 20 2009:
Top officials of several Union ministries including that of Home Ministry converged in Imphal today which would make busy schedules for the state Chief Minister, O Ibobi meeting with them in series.
A total of 22 officials of the ministries arrived in Imphal by air today.
Seventeen officials of different ministries are visiting the state to attend a two-day "Developmental Seminar" and another five member inter-ministerial team led by Joint Secretary Dilip Nath of Union Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation.
As soon as the inter-ministerial Central team led by Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dilip Nath arrived here held meeting with the officials of the state government led by Chief Secretary to asses drought situation in the state.
They also called on the Chief Minister this evening at his official bungalow.
Due to scanty rainfall received this year, the state government had already declared all the nine districts of the state as drought hit.
A memorandum was also submitted to the Centre for providing drought relief from the National Calamity Contingency Fund on August 6 last.
The Central team is to inspect whether the requested fund can be granted or not.
Officials informed that during its two-day long visit, the Central team would inspect the situation in both the hills and the valley districts, apart from monitoring the progress of the various schemes and projects being taken up with funding from the Ministry since 2007-08 and 2008-09 .
The team will also conduct spot inspections at Ukhrul, Churachandpur tomorrow and valley districts on the next day on (August 22) and will leave Imphal on the August 23 .
The inter-Ministerial Central team led by the Joint Secretary of Union Ministry of Agriculture, would also include Secretary of Department of Expenditure, Sushma Nath as representative of Union Finance Ministry, Secretary of Planning Commission Sudha Pillai, Consultant Secretary of Department of Drinking Water Supply Shantanu, and Commissioner of Department of Agriculture and Co-operation Dr NB Singh.
A total of 17 officers of separate Union Ministries including of MHA also arrived in the state today to attend development seminar on August 21 and 22 .