Imphal, March 20: The two day seminar on the theme of �Peace and development� which concluded at the banquet hall of 1st Manipur Rifles here today has endorsed resolving the problem of insurgency in Manipur through political dialogue on a common platform.

The ten-point recommendations adopted after grueling discussions on various issues confronting the State for two days observed that the people Manipur in general are in favour of peace and development and therefore fervently appealed to all the militant groups to resolve their problems with the Government through political dialogue on a common platform.

The seminar organised under the auspices of Senior Citizens for Society, Manipur also appealed to the Government to create a conducive atmosphere so that serious dialogue with the militant groups can be initiated.

Other recommendations include evolving a pragmatic strategy by the Government in co-operation with the civil society to fight rampant corruption in society, co-ordinating of peace building and development efforts, chalking out master plan by the Government to make Manipur economically self sustaining and viable, taking up measures to solve the problem of youth unrest, balance development of all the areas of the State, streamlining the Public Distribution system with an effort to plug the existing loopholes and uplifting the status of Manipuri women.

Earlier speaking that the concluding function of the seminar as chief guest, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh said there can be peace in the society only when the people of different sections of the society shun the path violence and take part in the constitutional process.

He said that peace and development are like two sides of a coin and one cannot do without the other.

Where there is no peace, there cannot be any development, he observed.

�What all of us want is peace, security and stability.

To achieve this, all of us should shun violence� he said.

He further observed that for restoration of peace and normalcy in Manipur society, womenfolk should play a pivotal role.

There is no task which a woman, a mother could not achieved.

Apart from their contribution in the socio-economic development of the society, Manipuri women have been taking a leading a role steering the course of the society in the right direction, he extolled.

As in other States of India, the Centre has already given instruction for setting up a State Commission for Women in Manipur.

The State Government would be best to implement it, the Chief Minister assured and added that the matter would be discussed in the next Assembly session slated to be held sometime in June so that steps could be taken up soon for setting up the Commission, which is also one of the pressing demands of the womenfolk.

Stating that maintenance of law and order is the top priority of his Government, Ibobi mentioned that development of economic infrastructures, generation of employment opportunities, increase of agricultural produces, promotion of art and culture and development of tourism are some of the areas which his Government is giving focus.

The Chief Minister also assured the gathering of taking up steps for completion of Thoubal Multi-purpose project, Khuga project and Dolaithabi so that these projects could be commissioned soon.

Once these projects are commissioned, it would able to provide jobs to many educated unemployed youths in the State, he hoped.

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