IMPHAL, December 26: The state Cabinet today has granted approval in principle to the proposal for corporatisation of the electricity department.
The process is expected to begin from the month of February, next year.
Government spokesperson and education minister M Okendro stated that the agreement for transforming the government department into a corporate was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by the chief minister O Ibobi at the CM secretariat this morning.
He continued that the meeting also reviewed the previous decision of the Cabinet to cancel the involvement of transport contractors of food grains during the distribution of essential items under the Targeted Public Distribution System in four valley districts. The matter was discussed minutely before the decision was taken, he stated.
The earlier decision had entrusted the district administration to carry out the work for ferrying the items under the TPDS, replacing the transport contractors. However, the delegation of the responsibility to the district administration had intensified their workload and created extra burden, necessitating a re-think, the minister said.
Okendro further informed that the meeting discussed the plans for introduction of National Food Security Act in Manipur from March, next year. In this regard, the Cabinet took a decision to notify the DCs and ADCs to complete the identification of priority households before January 15, 2014. The last date for receipt of forms had been fixed on January 10, 2014. The DCs and ADCs will be advised to carry out comprehensive publicity campaign for maximum circulation of the forms, he added.
The minister added that in order to achieve glorious success in the implementation of the Act, the Cabinet agreed to set up the required number of fair price shops in the Assembly constituencies and the construction of the additional shops will be funded by the Local Area Development Fund of the respective MLA.
The Cabinet further gave its approval to the prorogation of the sixth session of the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly, said the minister.
Today’s Cabinet also approved the establishment of the State Society for Management of Institute of Hotel Management, the minister added.