Imphal, February 07 2009: State Tourism, IPR and PHED Minister, TN Haokip has said that the government is considering a big cultural exchange programme which features the three biggest cultural festivals of Manipur namely Kut, Lui Ngaini and Mera Houchongba together, and assure that the same will come up soon.

The Minister was speaking at the 8th Kom Lamkut Festival organised by the Kom Chiefs' Welfare Organisation in association with the Kom Cultural and Research Centre, Manipur today at Bonglushi village in Churachandpur district.

The Minister was the chief guest of the function which was presided over by Kom Union's president, Tam Manglabung.

President of National Identity Protection Committee (NIPCO), Y Nabachandra and its General Secretary Sunil Karam were the guests of honour.

Addressing the gathering, Minister TN Haokip said that though Kom tribe is small, they have their own culture and traditions.

It is encouraging to hold such festival for preserving the indigenous culture and traditions of the tribe.

He said, Chief Minister O Ibobi had recently mooted holding a cultural exchange programme based on the biggest festivals� Kut of the Kuki-Chin-Mizo tribes, Lui-Ngaini of the Naga tribes and Mera Houchongba of Meetei�who are living together in the state.

The government is planning to translate into action the suggestion made by the Chief Minister, and this will become reality soon.

The objective of such a joint cultural programme is for the people of Manipur, irrespecitve of caste and community, to live together in peace and harmony, and to strengthen the bond of brotherhood, TN Haokip said.

He also appealed to the people of the state to live in communal harmony with the spirit of oneness.

He also donated a sum of Rs 10,000 to the organisers of today's festival.

In his address to the gathering, president of NIPCO, Y Nabachandra said, it is encouraging that though small, Kom people are trying their best to preserve their own culture and tradition by holding such festival every year.

While expressing that every tribe and community settled together in the state, may be small or big, has their own culture and traditions, he assured that NIPCO will extend full corporation towards uplifting and preserving the cultures and traditions of the communities.

"Striving to preserve and uplift the culture and traditions of all communities is one of the objectives of NIPCO," he said.

He also donated a sum of Rs 2000 to the organisers of the festival.

Kom people from various parts of the state, mostly from Churachandpur district like the upper Kom Keirap, Lower Kom Keirap, Haotak, Khoirentak Khuman, Harmotlang, Phungchongjang, Kangathei, Senbangchar and Moirang Mathak took part in today's festival.

Groups of boys and girls performed various traditional dances at the programme.

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