IMPHAL, August 7: Karong MLA, Dr V Alexander Pou today distributed old age pension to beneficiaries of the constituency today at the Old Secretariat, Senapati.
Pension will be distributed to altogether 939 beneficiaries of the Manipur Old Age Pension, Senapati, 305 beneficiaries of the Widow Pension, 26 beneficiaries of the Handicapped Pension and 65 new beneficiaries of the handicapped pension alongwith 5341 beneficiaries of the Indira Gandhi Old Age pension starting from today.
“Though the function is a small gathering, I take it as a meaningful gathering”, the MLA said while indicating to the small number of persons gathered for the function.
Expressing his gratitude to all those attending the function, he paid special emphasis on the role taken by the media in the society.
“I take media persons as the most important section of the society”.
Deliberating further on the role of the media persons, the local MLA continued that once a negative review has been reported it is hard to come out of its shadow.
He continued that today’s function could have ended without anyone having knowledge of in the absence of media persons.
Meanwhile, continuing his speech, he elaborated on the role of the Social Welfare department and said the department is also very much important for the society as it apprises the public on ways to deal with the children, old and the downtrodden of the society.
“At the same time if the officials of the department are not honest in their dealings, it could be dangerous for the society.”
There is a need for the state government and its agencies to deliberate on the issue of the Old Age Pension and spread awareness on the eligibility for the beneficiaries.
Deliberating that the old age pension should be left for the genuinely old beneficiaries, he urged all below the age of 60 not to apply for the pension until they attain the age of 60.
Touching upon the education system of the state, the MLA said there are certain government teachers who are seen only at the end of the month to collect their salaries.
There are teachers who are seldom seen in their classrooms but never fail to turn up to collect their salaries, which is bad not only for themselves but for the whole state as well, he said.
He continued the average government employees are lazy and neglect their duties.
In a society, the real section of the society who should be respected are the elder population and not the officers, he said.
Lauding the present state government, the MLA said the present government is working for the development of the state in an unbias manner and cooperating with everyone.
He further appealed to the people of the state to cooperate with the government and its agencies including the Social Welfare department in order to bring development to the state.
Expressing his desire to clean the Senapati district, he appealed to the general public to cooperate as he wouldn’t be able to work alone.
Meanwhile, the MLA alongwith SDO, Paomata, Punii Ronald and Senapati district Social Welfare Officer, Thangkhuling Kuki later in the day inspected the district Horticulture office.
Speaking to media persons who accompanied him, the MLA said the district Horticulture office has been occupied by the Manipur Police Wireless office since 2007 and the department had been temporarily shifted to a small room at the Old Secretariat where there is not enough room to even keep their official files.
This has harmed the working of the department and as such it is not properly functioning since the past five years.
Meanwhile, concerning the law and order situation in the district, the then DC of the district, Nidhi Kesherwani had deployed a police picket at the office, which has further aggravated the situation.
When asked by this IFP reporter regarding the shifting of the Horticulture office, the MLA said that the New Secretariat building was constructed at the office of the Manipur Police Wireless and as such the wireless office had to be shifted.
The MLA further appealed to the concern authorities to shift back the Horticulture department to its original place and help it function properly.