KANGPOKPI, November 6: “Kangpokpi is truly a beautiful place and a God’s blessed place”, noted the Governor of Manipur Dr Ashwani Kumar before adding, “this place has always fascinated me when I travelled along National Highway 2 and I always wish to stop here and spend at least a few times with peoples of the area and today my wish has been fulfilled”.
The Governor was speaking to the people of Sadar Hills on his maiden visit to Kangpokpi on November 4.
A grand reception of the Governor Dr Ashwani Kumar and his first lady Ashwani Kumar was organized at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Addl. Deputy Commissioner Complex, Kangpokpi.
“God loves the state of Manipur and its people very much and especially Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi that the people of Kangpokpi, Sadar Hills have been blessed with a natural good quality water available without much shortage”, he continued while emphasizing on the importance of utilizing Solar Power in the hill district of Manipur
Dr Ashwani Kumar noted that water is a fundamental right given in the UN Declaration of Fundamental Rights.
He continued that fulfilling my wish of spending a few times with the people in this beautiful place is one important thing for my arrival at Kangpokpi and the second most important thing is the pleasant surprised to see fully uniformed students standing along the road side to show their warmest welcome with a placard inscribed neatly and clearly with the needs of the peoples and the areas with only few words that others need not have to tell me your demands.
Mentioned may be made that student of various educational institutions in and around Kangpokpi welcomed the Governor holding a placard written, “Developed Sadar Hills Developed India”, “Read our minds to know our wants”, “Implemented B.R.G.F. in Sadar Hills”, “Make us study in peace”, “Insurgency No…No…!”, “Depute D.C. in Sadar Hills”.
“Senapati district is the only district to have two Autonomous District Council in Manipur as well as in the entire North East India that according to my point of view, theoretically development should be doubled”, added the Governor added before toting up his concern and awareness of the demand of devolution of more power to District Council and the so called 1971 Acts respectively.
“It vital on the part of the three level govt. viz. Centre Govt., State Govt. and the District Govt. to ensure the Acts and Laws under the Indian Constitution were implemented effectively” he maintained adding that as far as money is concern, we are having sufficient money from the Govt. of India.
He further added that the duty of the functionaries and the people is to utilize the money in proper manner.
“While I have noted all your demands and keep in my heart always to remember to ensure for socio-political and economic development of the area and its people I do have a big dream on the part of the district administrator and the voluntary organization also works for the same, he asserted.
The Governor of Manipur spent at least one and half hours interacting with the Local MLA, Chairman and Members of Autonomous District Council Sadar Hills and other District Level Officers along with the Kuki Inpi (House of the Kukis), Kuki Women Union including Kangpokpi Town Committee, Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organization, Kangpokpi Youth Union and other civil bodies.
The local MLA Smt. Nemcha Kipgen in her short significant speech deliver her faith to the Governor that his maiden visit will bring new changes and development in the area specially in health care, education system and women empowerment.
Chairman Autonomous District Council Sadar Hills Haokholal Hangsing narrated that even after the Manipur Govt. amended the so called Acts, “1971 Acts” with devolution of power to District Council after a lapsed of 20 years in 2010 with the hope that peoples of the Hill Areas had once again come to election to certainly cherished their hopes with the amendment of the Acts as well as devolution of power to District Council but hopes remains a mere hope nor the Acts implemented completely thereby lacking development, infrastructures and other amenities far behind than other District Council in the state as well as in the entire North East India.
While drawing the attention of the Governor, the chairman ADC Sadar Hills pointed out that the 1989 Extraordinary Gazette of Manipur Government vested the power of Deputy Commissioner to Addl. Deputy Commissioner, Sadar Hills but till then the power and function of Addl. DC remain something like a mere SDO/BDO.
He further pointed out that Sadar Hills being not a full-fledged district all development programs, infrastructures and other amenities from the Centre Govt. as well as State Govt. jump over to other district evading Sadar Hills which make the district development far behind other district of Manipur.
The Chairman also appealed the Governor of Manipur to avail the facilities of Backward Rural Grant Fund (BRGF) to Senapati District and make functional the Addl. DC as Deputy Commissioner with complete devolution of power and function at the earliest before adding that Autonomous District Council Sadar Hills has been functioning effectively like other Autonomous District Council of the state with components of all departments.
On the other hand, Kangpokpi Town Committee, Kangpokpi Women Welfare Organization and Kangpokpi Youth Union have jointly urges the Governor for construction of Rest House, Mini-Stadium, Super Market facilities, Multi-Purpose Complex facilities and expansion of CHC, Kangpokpi to district level hospital and plead for its speedy implementation.