Imphal, September 11: To ensure use of the available land, specially in the valley area, judiciously and to stop issuance of patta randomly, an executive power has curtailed even the power of the Revenue Minister to grant land and issue Patta, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has disclosed.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission Consul- tative Workshop on City Development Plan for Imphal at the banquet hall of Ist Manipur Rifles here today, Ibobi said the step has been taken up in view of the limited size of the capital city and lack of possibility of expanding it in future.

�Even if we say the size of the capital is very small, there is no possibility of shifting it elsewhere.

So there is the need to make use of the available land resources judiciously�, he said.

Stating that the attempt made to construct Pucca building near Mapal Kangjeibung, which is one of the important land marks of the State, on the basis of the patta issued randomly is very unfortunate, Ibobi noted that relevant Acts have been amended so that local bodies including Imphal Municipal Council do not have the power to grant land.

Moreover, the power of the Revenue Minister to grant land and issue patta under Manipur Land and Revenue and Land Reforms Act has been curtailed by an executive power even though a relevant Bill has not yet been introduced, Ibobi said.

The Chief Minister explained that the step to develop Imphal city has been taken up under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission as part of the larger future plan of the UPF Government at the Centre and the Planning Commission for proper planning of the urban areas in time.

The main objective of the Government of India in implementing the Mission is to develop the cities properly and entrust the income generated to the local bodies so as to make them self- reliant, the Chief Minister said, while seeking the co-operation of the people in evic- ting the unwanted structures for proper planning of the city.

The Mission has to be completed within a span of seven years and 90 percent of the total fund required would be provided by the Government of India and the remaining 10 percent by the State Governments concerned.

The Chief Minister further disclosed that efforts are being made to introduce night land landing facility at Tulihal Airport, Imphal.

Once this facility is introduced then, income of the State could be increased through export of the Horticulture products to other States by early morning flight services.

Since the road stretch from Keishampat to Airport is to be develop as an International Airport Road, the width of the road has to be 150 feet and 75 feet on either side of the road from the median, Ibobi said, adding that plan are also afoot for development and expansion of the Imphal- Kangchup Road and RIMS Road.

Disclosing that a sum of Rs 120 crores had been received from Urban Ministry of Government of India for the construction of the BT Road Flyover, three markets of Kwairamband Bazar and the cultural complex, the Chief Minister maintained although Rs 17 crores had been set aside, the construction of Purana Bazar could not be started due to opposition from some quarters.

So the tender for the said could not bee floated in time and the meantime the revised estimated to the cost of con- struction has risen to Rs 34 crores.

Preparation of the DPRs for construction of the Keishampat Flyover bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 45 crores and Khwai Maharani Bridge at an estimated cost of Rs 12 crores have been completed.

The fund for these two projects have been lapsed as it could not be utilised in time last year.

Now, after the Urban Development Ministry has stated that the said fund would not been released as the City Development Plan is already in operation, efforts are being made to include the projects in the State priority list, Ibobi said.

Touching on the alleged denial of salary to the employees of Imphal Munici- pal Council for the last 20 months, the Chief Minister categorically stated it is a direct fallout of recruiting a large number of employees unnecessarily.

On the demand of the agitating aided college teachers, the Chief Minister made it clear that the Government did not say that the demands would not be discussed but only they should be reasonable. Instead of pressing the demand for appointment of teachers and conversion of colleges where there is no students, the agitating teachers should be ready to hold talks with the Government, the Chief Minister said, adding that the notion that the demands would be fulfilled by giving pressures as election is near should be given up.

The day-long workshop organised by Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) was attended by Information Minister TN Haokip, Lok Sabha MP Dr T Meinya, all the MLAs of the seven Assembly segments of Greater Imphal area, Chairperson and Councillors of Imphal Municipal Council and other experts.

Prior to the commencement of the workshop, Chi- ef Town Planner N Geet-kumar and a representative of M/S IL & FS Ltd, con-sultant of the City Develop- ment Plan gave a detailed account of project to be taken up for the development of Imphal city along with slide shows.

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