MANIPUR: GOVERNOR SAYS SHE HIGHLIGHTED A RANGE OF ISSUES AT NEC MEETING

16 jULY 2018

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla said she had highlighted a range of issues of the state at the recently-held plenary of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Meghalaya capital Shillong.

Briefing the media in Imphal on Monday, she said she had underscored problems such as strengthening livelihood programmes, water resources management, catchment area treatment through afforestation, doubling farmers' income by 2022, improving road connectivity etc.

Stating that people in remote areas do not understand Hindi or English, she insisted that they should be informed of central schemes through local languages.

“People who live in remote areas are not aware of the schemes launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they are conversant only in local dialects,” she said.

Stating that her focus is on issues of development as the state has suffered a lot due to blockades and bandhs, she said the state was not given a good share of money and as such, she had asked for more from the NEC.

“Among the eight states in the Northeast, seven are small and they face similar problems. The money distribution should not be based on the size and population of the states because we cannot match Assam. The parameter for distribution of money should be based on developmental index,” she added.

During the briefing, the Governor also raised the issue of dying Loktak Lake saying it has to be developed as the state’s tourism sector is dependent on it. She also stressed on giving more focus on infrastructures and roads as the state is land-locked.

At the two-day NEC plenary, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh discussed at length ways and means to develop the region.