KANGPOKPI, September 17: Ameishing Luikham, Secretary, department of Public Enterprises, Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, government of India visited Kangpokpi town on his trip to Senapati District to inspect the changes in the district today.
The IAS officer, who was accompanied by Jacintha Lazarus, Deputy Commissioner, Senapati stopped at the Multi-Purpose Hall, addl DC’s Office at Kangpokpi at around 3:30 pm in the evening where he had a brief interaction over the various changes in the areas with the District Level Officers, Civil Society Organizations including Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills, KSO Sadar Hills, Kangpokpi Town Committee in the presence of DK. Thangboi, addl DC, Kangpokpi.
Speaking on the occasion, Jacintha Lazarus highlighted the basic purpose of the secretary’s visit to the district.
She said that the Prime Minister would like to have knowledge of what are the changes, the IAS officer could see at his first place of posting and the changes happening at the moment.
She also said that the secretary would like to make out what changes have the DLOs, CSOs and the general public envisage and shared their view on the present government policies and programs, which are satisfactory and which needs modification.
KSO Sadar Hills general secretary Lamcha Chongloi apprised the visiting Union secretary on the inevitability of a full-fledged Sadar Hills district for grassroots level development.
We are pleased over the government policies and programs, however, for earth-shattering changes and development the district status enjoyed by Sadar Hills, should be officially declared full-fledged by the Government of Manipur, he said.
This will help in achieving fertile implementation of various government policies and programs in Sadar Hills, he added.
He continued that when any government policies and programs are directly implemented through the Sadar Hills Administration it could be properly accomplished.
We had already become a district some 40 years back, but the Government of Manipur has intentionally denied the Parliament Act of 1971 which was in regard to the creation of the Sadar Hills, he added.
He also said the Parliament Act of 1971 remains one of the oldest Act passed by the Indian Parliament and waiting for its implementation while adding that unless the Centre takes appropriate measures to enforce the said Act accordingly it will remain a mockery of the Indian Parliament in the Indian history.
Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills and Kangpokpi Town Committee put up their view on the ageless water paucity in the town and its adjoining areas. Meanwhile, area representatives also highlighted the pitiable road condition and connectivity in Twilang (Imphal-Tamenglong) areas.
Various DLOs also shared their views on Medical, Education and other departments.
Speaking after the interaction, Ameishing Luikham emphasized on the importance of sizeable agriculture market in hill district.
“Agriculture/vegetable market is the most important among the markets since it helps the poorest of the poor”, asserted A. Luikham.
He also stressed on the need to change the unchanging practice of sitting on the roadside selling vegetables.
The visiting IAS officer also shared his view to make rural economy more influencing and the major source of income by introducing conveniently sizeable agriculture marketplace.
The IAS officer, who was enthusiastically serious about the market, suggested the concerned town committee and the district administration to approach the government with a proposal of setting up a big agriculture market while adding that the Government will definitely help in any possibility.
However, Luikham noted that the community should donate a huge land, which is near to the roadside and approachable since the Government has no land in the hill areas.
He urged the DLOs, CSOs and the people to have a serious thought of more than five steps ahead for the future so as to avoid apology when it too late.