The lure of good governance

SK Singh *

Recently I came to know about the predicament of a friend of mine who needed desperately a piece of homestead land in Imphal, the capital city where he grew up, completed studies and finally settling after retirement.

Having originated from Jiribam district where his parents have a house, he didn’t think of an independent house in Imphal as he was well placed with his maternal uncle’s at Wangkhei since his college days. His mother never encouraged him to get shifted from her newly conceived close relatives there.

Recently however, he thought of having a house separate from his maternal uncles’ and their extended family as the years generated larger members nearly congesting the plot of land left by his maternal grand parents.

Even otherwise, it is desirable to leave the homestead land to their true inheritors before adding to further congestion. Going back to Jiribam his origin doesn’t sound logical. His problem is locating a homestead land. The added issue is the cost of land in the city and his savings which in any way is not even moderate.

He had a paddy field of area 0.62 acre in Keirao. It’s adjacent to main road and can be suitably developed for a house with not much of a large investment. The tenant upon discussion about the need for using part of it for house construction, talked about a standing order of the government where conversion of paddy land into homestead land is restricted by the government.

Just an area of 0.20 acres, not more, can be converted into homestead land under a set of conditions. And according to him, the process of this conversion is reportedly cumbersome, time taking, expensive to the extent of being near-impossible task for most common man with little connection.

. Worried as he is, he met few known persons in the government, got hold of the new document, a Bill, “Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014, (Manipur Act No 10 of 2014) for conversion of paddy land into homestead land.

Having gone deeper, he came to know that since he has a piece of homestead land, however small, in his name in Jiribam district, he is not eligible to use part of the paddy land in Keirao village in Imphal East district, for that matter, anywhere in Manipur.

He has two options. Forget Imphal, a place where he did his education starting from primary stage, worked a lifetime and brought up his children. The children have a future here and stay they must in Imphal only. They cannot go back to Jiribam, they have no future there.

My friend under these compelling circumstances thought of disposing the plot in Jiribam as fast as possible so that he is eligible for approaching the government for using part of his paddy land in Keirao.

He wondered however the logic of the government where he is not eligible for converting a portion of the paddy field in Imphal for a residential plot since he owns a homestead land in Jiribam. Yes, he can purchase home stead land, several of them, there is no bar.

Problem lies with conversion of paddy land into ingkhol class. Even where he possesses a plot in, say, Sherou a far off village in Kakching district or one in Moreh of Tengnoupal district, all separated by 100 of kms apart, he is barred from having a homestead plot converted from his paddy field.

The premise of this infamous Act, “the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wet Land Act, 2014”, is, “to conserve the paddy land and wet land and to restrict the conversion or reclamation thereof in order to promote growth in the agricultural sector in the state of Manipur”. With the passing of this Act, the government imposes ‘prohibition on conversion or reclamation of paddy land’, except in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

Upon contacting the SDO of Keirao Bitra about his conversion, as advised he submitted formal application indicating particulars of his family, his spouse, children etc. He was told that if he or any of his dependant members happen to possess any piece of land however small, in the state he cannot be considered for this conversion. Accordingly, the SDO wrote to at least 8 Deputy Commissioners enclosing copy of my application, to verify if he possess any piece of land in their districts.

The` districts are:- i) Imphal West, ii) Imphal East, iii) Thoubal, iv) Kakching, v) Bishnupur, vi) Churachandpur, vii) Jiribam and viii) Tengnoupal. He was asked by the SDO to send someone, collect the letters and deliver to the addressees.

Mind you, the SDO wants me to do the job of delivering these very important letters either personally or by reliable persons of his so that things are not delayed. She also intends that the replies from these eight Collect orates are taken care of by him; the cases of persuasion for replies and ensure submission to her office in time, again in his own interest.

The intention of the SDO could be rated as ‘good’ indeed, rather very conscious. What is, however, not readily understandable is why these letters are not delivered through their agencies, her own staff or through postal authorities.

These facilities are in position anyway; the element of delay too could be streamlined if the desire to effect good governance is strong. One wonders how such letters are to be delivered `to such distant places like, Jiribam or Tengnoupal by the applicant. The concern could be that the lethargy, the neglect inherent in any government system would play heavy on such important matters and that handing over this responsibility to the beneficiary himself would expedite matters.

The added difficulty is for a common man to reach these eight Collectorates, get the responses and submit to the SDO. It’s a hard job, expensive, time taking for the common man. A system of ‘good governance’ if in existence would eradicate this predicament.

A ‘good government’ ideally should have in position, a mechanism, a system where such issues of getting response from their own counterparts are taken care of by themselves and not rely on applicants.