Imphal, July 07 2009: The State Assembly has taken up the budget estimate of the fiscal 2009-2010 in its agenda today.

To initiate due deliberation on the agenda, the Government tabled a budget estimate of Rs 4550 crores.

Taking part in the discussion, Opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam underlined the need to strictly supervise funds meant for development and welfare programmes.

Hailing the SPF Government for bailing out the State from a situation marked by huge financial deficits, Radhabinod appreciated the measures taken up by the Government to improve the financial health of the State by checking unnecessary expenditures.

Yet, he called upon the Government to further improve the economy of the State by timely utilisation of funds and timely submission of utilisation certificates.

Referring to the excuse given by the Government that development funds could not be utilised due to the law and order situation, the NCP leader said that people have been saying "some engineers have fallen victims of insurgents while some engineers have benefited a lot by collaborating with insurgents".

He asked Ministers to pay attention to such sayings among the people.

While asking to remove all bogus employees to save unnecessary expenditure from non-plan fund, the NCP MLA urged the Government to open a corpus fund under non-plan sector.

MLA Dr Ng Bijoy conveyed his wish to improvise the existing financial system for better economic growth.

Observing that there has been no effort to give employment to educated unemployed youths, the MPP MLA pointed out that Horticulture degree holders are not entitled to any stipend though their Medical and Engineering counterparts enjoy such benefits.

He also asked for timely payment of all entitlements instituted by the Government.

Lauding the efforts of the Government to commence the first session of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences from this year, Bijoy observed that the amount invested and required for running the medical institute was not reflected in the budget estimate.

Question hour : Forest and Environment Minister Th Debendra has stated that necessary actions would be initiated to evict encroachers from reserved forest areas.

Debendra was responding to a query raised by MLA O Joy during question hour in the State Assembly today.

He said that there are 24 reserve forest lands in Manipur.

A total of 696.25 hectares within these forest lands are being occupied by encroachers.

The number of villages established within these reserved forest areas is 29 and the number of houses 2799, Debendra informed the House.

Responding to a related question put up by Morung Makunga, the Minister said that the eviction drive would cover encroachers occupying reserved forest areas at Sugnu and Moreh.

PHE Minister TN Haokip, replying to Th Nandakishore, assured that necessary pipes would be laid to connect Porompat water supply plant with the water reservoir newly constructed near Ramaniya High School, Kshetrigao within three months.

Laying of distribution pipes would be laid after enlisting the same work in the work programme of 2009-10, TN Haokip added.

Responding to another question raised by N Mangi, TN Haokip said that a pump set of capacity 25 HP has been installed to provide tap water to people settling around Borayangbi village.

Necessary intimation has also been sent to power department for service connection, the PHE Minister said.

In his response to a query made by Wungnaoshang Keishing, Horticulture Minister Phungzathang Tonsing said that Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department took up two river valley projects at Senapati and Ukhrul during 2007-08 and 2008-09 at the cost of Rs 453 lakhs and 460 lakhs respectively.

Health Minister Ph Parijat maintained that the number of patients coming to Yairipok Community Health Centre and the existing strength of doctors and staff are compatible.

Parijat was answering a question raised by MLA K Meghachandra.

The Health Minister further informed the House that Yairipok CHC recorded the largest number of patients among health centres of the State.

In his response to a query put up by Radhabinod Koijam, TD Minister DD Thaisii said that due benefits of different schemes were extended to tribal population scattered in the valley based on their population.

Selection of beneficiaries were done from amongst those belonging to BPL category, Thaisii added.

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