Manipur: Tribals Development Forum calls for indefinite economic blockade demanding release of pending government funds

A midnight call for indefinite economic blockade by the All Manipur Tribals Development grievances Forum (AMTDGF) was initiated in Manipur along High No 2, Dimapur-Imphal and Highway No 37, Jiribam-Imphal road on November 3.

The economic blockade was announced by the AMTDGF demanding the release of all pending funds under MGNREGA.

Numerous hill-based organisations, other than AMTDGF, have pledged support for the ongoing economic blockade. The AMTDGF had sent a memo to Chief Minister N Biren Singh on October 10 asking for the release of the Rs 756 crore that had been approved for the state by the Ministry of Rural Development.

Only Rs 100 crore, according to the AMTDGF, has been made available for the state's 16 MGNREGA-assigned districts thus far. The AMTDGF claimed that it had delayed its economic blockade along NH-2 and NH-37 because of Diwali and Ningal Chakouba celebrations, but that it has now been forced to do so because the government has not responded by the deadline of October 30.

The public has been urged by the AMTDGF to support the ongoing economic embargo.

The Manipur Government said in the meantime that an extra Rs 150 crore from the total of Rs 756 crore sanctioned will be given shortly and the remaining amount will be released in due course. The Manipur government also denied claims that it misappropriated Rs 756 crore.