Imphal, February 14 2009: Alleging that they have been ignored for long by the state government, the Special Police Officers (SPOs) (armed villagers) of Heirok in Manipur's Thoubal district have threatened to withdraw their status as SPOs and instead form another independent organisation to safeguard their village.

This comes even as the central government has directed the government of Manipur for recruiting more SPOs in the state.

While informing this during a press conference held on Friday at the Manipur Press Club in Imphal the group commander of the SPO C-Company, Thokchom Romen, revealed that SPOs are morally down following the apathy of the state government.

Inspite of many revolts from time to time by the SPOs demanding their rights, including submitting a memorandum to the Union Home Minister, the government is still silent, rued Romen and informed that one of 17 next as the Cabinet approved to the proposal of the Law and Legislative Affairs department's proposal for recommendation to the Governor for summoning the fifth session of the Assembly.

The last seating of the forth session of the ninth Manipur Legislative Assembly, mention may be made, was adjourned on October 10, 2008 and prorogued on November 28, 2008 by the state Governor.

As the recommended session will be the first session of this current year, Governor will address the session, the source said.

Another agenda put up by the state education department relating with the upgradation of a government high school to higher secondary level and three junior high school and provision of assistance incentive to the schools getting first class in class X examination conducted by Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (BSEM) were also discussed in the meeting which lasted till late night.

The assistance and incentive will be given under a scheme called Grant of Financial Assistant to schools based on its performance in the HSLCE exam conducted by the BSEM.

The objective of the scheme of the scheme is to motivate the school, teachers and students to perform leading to an overall improvement of the academic scenario in the state.

The scheme which will be implemented by the state education (s) department will be extended to all schools located within the state of Manipur and affiliated to the BSEM irrespective of government, aided or private school, the source said as decided by the Cabinet yesterday.

The rate of financial to be granted per students will be Rs 5000 per students securing marks with 75% and onward and 60% and above but below 75% at the rate of Rs 3000 per student as approved by the Cabinet.

The grant shall be shared between the school management, teaching faculty and the students of the school.

Of the Rs 3000 award to a student, Rs 1000 each will be distributed between the school management, teacher and students.

But, for Rs 5000 award which student securing 75% or above, the student will get Rs 3000 .

The cabinet has also approved to the proposal of upgradation of Somdal NK High School in the remote area of Ukhrul district into higher secondary level apart from converting three junior high schools into high schools .

The schools are Hengbung Junior High School at Saitu Constituency with a strength of 327 students during the academic session 2007-08, Phungkhothang Junion High School in Churachandpur district having 874 students and Kwakta Junior High School having a total strength of 160 students in last year session.

The state Cabinet also approved appointment of 28 posts of lecturers by direct recruitment including 18 posts of lecturers by relaxing ban on direct recruitment.

The said posts to be recruited are above in addition to the 84 posts of lecturers whose requisition has been made.

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