Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Ukhrul, October 19 2010:
In a follow-up to Development Seminar running since 2000, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai attended a development seminar in Ukhrul district today.
During the seminar held at the Town Hall of the district, Pillai assured, without ascertaining any date, that an Ukhrul branch of State Bank of India (SBI) will be launched soon.
He however specified March of next year as a target for the installation of SBI ATM in the district.
On the issue of restricting tourists visiting the district, the people of the district have relayed to the visiting Union Home Secretary that Naga expatriates who had gone abroad in search of livelihood and have in the process gained citizenship of the adopted countries are unable to come back facing technical obstruction.
Pillai assured in no uncertain terms that the 'acts' giving hurdles to tourists will be made defunct and lifted.
Other propositions coming from the people of the district were, increasing workdays for MGNREG scheme from the existing 100 days, water harvesting, power supply improvement, etc., on all of which the visiting central official gave a patient hearing and promised to look into.
A prominent social worker, Ngachonmi Chamroy proposed that a Hydel Power Project for the emancipation of the people from darkness and gloom besetting major part of the district.
Ukhrul has six sub divisions all connecting the district headquarters through all-weather roads.
The roads that connect sub divisions to State capital are also all-weather roads.
However the people's plight is that the villages in the district, numbering 224 villages, do not have road worthy of traveling.
This they say is a singular reason why government officials of the district are encumbered in carrying out duties.
The Union Home Secretary assured the people that their plight would be considered.
Meanwhile, sources said that G K Pillai will make an overnight stopover at 17th Assam Rifles Camp at Somsai near Halang village located 3 km from the district headquarter Ukhrul before he travels to Sirui Hill tomorrow, which is known the world over for its endemic Siroi Lily.
It is worth mentioning that similar seminars have been held in Tamenglong district in 2000, Bishnupur and Senapati in 2009 and Imphal East district and Ukhrul district, yesterday and today respectively.
The development seminar at Hotel Classic in Imphal yesterday reassured, inter alia, development of Imphal-Jiribam stretch of National Highway 53 into world class road for which Rs 300 crores has been sanctioned to Border Road Organization (BRO), speeding up construction work of Jiribam-Tupul railway, etc.