Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 21 2009:
The Union Home Ministry has given consent to setting up of three more IRB battalions specifically to protect NH-39, NH-53 and the Loktak Downstream Project.
A reliable source informed The Sangai Express that the Union Home Ministry has also instructed the State Government to deploy adequate strength of armed police personnel in the hill districts.
In follow-up development of the meeting between Chief Minister O Ibobi and Union Home Minister P Chidambaram at Delhi yesterday, Chief Secretary DS Poonia
and Union Home Secretary GK Pillai held a meeting today.
Together with an assurance to provide all possible assistance from the side of the Home Ministry, Home Secretary GK Pillai sought the exact figure of police strength required for Manipur, conveyed an official source.
The Home Secretary also gave consent to establishment of three more IRB battalions during the meeting today, said the source.
The Home Ministry has also given approval on recruitment of required number of civil police to raise the number of police stations to 82 from the existing 52 .
The Home Ministry also agreed on recruitment of more VDF personnel for all districts, if required.
Together with the consent to absorb VDF in police, the Home Ministry would be reimbursing Rs 3000 per month per VDF personnel as against the present arrangement of Rs 500 only for paying honorarium.
The meeting which focused on tackling the law and order situation of Manipur agreed that the Union Home Ministry would support the State Government's decision
of upgrading the Manipur Police Training School located at Pangei to the level of a college.
Once upgraded to the level of college, it would have the facility to impart training to ASI, SI and even up to the rank of DSP.
During the meeting, the Home Secretary suggested that the elections to Autonomous District Councils should be conducted without further delay.
GK Pillai further instructed the Chief Secretary to deploy adequate strength of armed police personnel in hill districts and also to station 60 police
personnel in each police station.
The Home Ministry agreed on extending the police modernisation by some more years after obtaining due consent of the State Cabinet.
Originally, the police modernisation process should finish next year.
The Home Secretary also assured assistance towards developing Manipur Fire Service.
Incidentally, the July 23 Khwairamband incident and the subsequent people's movement did not figure in the meeting between the Union Home Secretary and the State Chief Secretary.