Imphal, September 29: The first phase of the incentives to be given under the Self Employment Generation Programme (SEGP) will be released to the selected 2488 beneficiaries by Chief Minister O Ibobi inside Kangla on October 2 to coincide with Gandhi Jayanti.

The SEGP loans will be released even as the State Government has prepared a report which states that unemployment is the root cause for social tension, rising militancy and other social crimes as well.

Speaking to The Sangai Express a reliable source said that the incentives under the SEGP will be given on October 2 during a special function held inside Kangla in connection with Gandhi Jayanti.

The beneficiaries drawn from the nine districts of Manipur will be given their incentives for different trades and business purposes.

Senapati district will get the lion's share of the incentives with 420 beneficiaries selected in the first phase while the number of beneficiaries of other districts are, Imphal East-395, Imphal West-391, Bishnupur-221, Thoubal-394, Churachandpur-295, Chandel-107, Ukhrul-147 and Tamenglong-118.For the SEGP incentives, the Union Planning Commission had earmarked Rs 30 crore for the first phase (2004-05), Rs 50 crore for the second phase (2005-06) and Rs 50 crore for the third phase (2006-07).The main focus of the loan is on agriculture, horticulture, veterinary and animal husbandry, medical, industries, transport, sericulture, fishery, trading and IT.

A report prepared by the State Government said that the root cause for social tension and political unrest and militancy is due to the growing unemployment amongst educated youths.

Till 2004, the number of unemployed persons registered with the State Government was 4.5 lakhs.

Meanwhile the Managing Director of the Manipur State Co-operative Bank has asked all those who have received the sanction letter for the incentives under the SEGP to collect all their relevant documents from the head office of the bank latest by 11 am of October 1.The items to distributed under the SEGP to the beneficiaries include Tata-407, Maruti Van (Omni), tractor, power tiller etc, said the notification.

All the beneficiaries have been directed to be present at Kangla to receive their incentives.

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