Imphal, October 17: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) on implementation of three market construction projects under the sponsorship of Ministry of Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation has threatened to launch a series of agitations if the State Government fails to accommodate plots for its members either at the proposed markets site or at a separate place.

Justifying the demand, JAC spokesman Chongtham Dolen told newsmen today that 65 percent of the amount sanctioned by the Ministry is meant for construction of stalls to accommodate urban unemployed youths living under Below Poverty Line (BPL).

In fact the Ministry had sanctioned the amount as a whole under the project for accommodation of urban unemployed youths and women vendors at Luxmi market, New market (Lingthoingambi) and Purana Bazar (Ima market).

For the project, the Ministry had sanctioned Rs 4,53,16,400 during 2002-03 fiscal and the amount has been enhanced to Rs 75 crores, he pointed.

�We respect the sentiments of our Imas to construct the three markets on their own choice in terms of model and structures, but the State Government should not forget that a large amount of fund which had been sanctioned for accommodation of the urban unemployed youths', he said.

�In view of this fact, the Government should either accommodate plots for the unemployed youths who have joined together and formed the JAC, either at the three proposed super markets or at a separate place that would be feasible for running business', he demanded.

He further informed that JAC was formed by seven different bodies whose shops were located at different parts of the capital had been evicted by the Government.

The erstwhile Joint Coordination Committee (before forming the JAC) too had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister in December 2003 to accommodate plots for the evicted shop keepers, he recalled.

The number of plots constructed at the temporary market shed is more than the required figure, but the Government has allotted the excess plots to the near and dear ones of the MLAs and Ministers ignoring the bonafide beneficiaries who are the JAC members, he alleged.

The authorities concerned should clarified on what basis the excess plots have been allotted.

The Government should also bring out a detailed report on the estimated cost of the construction of the three super markets and what other projects would be taken up by the remaining amount, Chongtham demanded.

If the Government still keeps on ignoring to implement the project, the JAC besides launching a series of agitation in democratic manner would also take recourse to legal action, he warned, adding that �we will even move the Supreme Court for the ends of justice'.

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