Imphal, November 25 2017: Zilla Parishad members, Pradhans and Ward members who were elected in the recently held local body election for Panchayat felt neglected by the state government as they are being forgotten in the largest state tourism festival – The Sangai Festival.
They are not only ignored by the organizing committee of the Sangai Tourism Festival but also not invited to attend the North East Development Summit held at City Convention Imphal on November 21 and 22 .
Official source said that Adhyaksha and Upa Adhyaksha of each Zilla Parrishad had been invited both for the NEDS Summit and the officials have been informed to make sure that all elected local body members attend the NEDS summit as they have important role to play.
“We are elected by a democratic election by around half the voters of a constituency and we are not even invited for the inaugural function of the Manipur Sangai Festival”, a Zilla Parishad member said to this reporter.
He further added that even after knowing that the elected local body members have important role in the making of a change, develop state, except for the Adhyaksha and the Upa Adhyaksha of the six Zilla Parishad, no members had been invited, when members of political parties are given VIP status to attend the summit.
“I am not the only one who is not invited but other colleagues who are in similar status with me have also been deprived of the rights to attend the summit leaving aside the Sangai Tourism Festival.
The two-day business summit of Northeast India and Association for South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries inked 39 agreements worth Rs.4000-5000 crores with various investors.
Source: Imphal Times
