Cong Govt in Manipur hampering State’s development: Dr Jitendra

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh addressing an election rally at Kumbi in Manipur on Thursday.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh addressing an election rally at Kumbi in Manipur on Thursday.

Excelsior Correspondent

IMPHAL (MANIPUR), Feb 23: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh has held the Congres Government in Manipur, headed by Ibobi Singh, responsible for hampering the State’s development.
Addressing a series of election meetings at Kumbi and Ningthoukhong  near here, Dr Jitendra Singh said, people of Manipur have suffered continuous stagnation, exploitation and corruption for nearly a decade-and-a-half. But, in the last two-and-a-half years, he said, after the Modi Government took over at the Centre, people of the State have begun to realize how they are being constantly deprived of the benefits of good governance and healthy development.
Accusing the Ibobi Singh Government of stalling major initiatives from the Centre in the last two-and-a-half years, Dr Jitendra Singh said that, soon after the formation of the Government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the setting up of a Sports University in Manipur, so that the natural talent of the youth of the State for athletics and sports could be groomed in a more institutionalized manner. However, he alleged, in spite of two years of regular and rigorous follow up, the State Government did not provide land for acquisition to the Union Government simply because it did not want the youth of the State to get the benefit of the Modi reforms.
Dr Jitendra Singh promised that when BJP comes to power in the State, it will immediately take up the issue on priority and promptly hand over requisite land to the Union Ministry of Sports for setting up a Sports University. This would be, he said, an appropriate tribute to the land which has produced icons like Mary Kom and Sunita Devi.
Highlighting the special impetus given to the growth of developmental activities by the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) during the last two years, Dr Jitendra Singh cited figures to state that while the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources (NLCPR) funding was only about Rs. 45 crore in the year 2012-13 before the Modi Government came in, in 2014-15, soon after the formation of the Government under Prime Minister Modi, the same fund was instantly raised to Rs. 115 crore. Similarly, he said, North Eastern Council (NEC) funding for the State of Manipur for the year 2013-14, before the Modi Government came in, was Rs. 85 crore, while in the year 2015-16, it went up to Rs. 154 crore.
Among the new initiatives launched by the Modi Government for North-East, Dr Jitendra Singh mentioned the recent launch of work on Waterways and disclosed that Rs. 7.8 crore has been earmarked for “Inland Water Transport” along Loktak Lake in Manipur. He also referred to the fast ongoing work on the extension of the Imphal Airport and Rs. 9,047 crore allocated for 111 kms Jiribam-Tupul-Imphal rail track.

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