IMPHAL, May 28: Although the BJP led NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has withdrawn the Special State Status from several States including Manipur, it is not in their capacity to stop sanctioning funds to Manipur, asserted Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh today.
Even if they fail to sanction the funds, we will grab the same, he said.
The Chief Minister was speaking at the district level Congress Workers`™ conference in connection with the yearlong Celebration for the 125th birth anniversary of Balasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar cum ADC election campaign meeting at the public ground near Aimol Tampak, Pallel.
Continuing his speech, Ibobi said during the time of the UPA government in the Centre, the North Eastern States along with Jammu and Kashmir were identified as Special States and provided with additional funds from the Centre recognizing them to be underdeveloped compared to the other States.
Under the status, Manipur must have received more than Rs 2000 crores, which also includes Rs 450 crores under Special Plan Assistance and Rs 800 crores under Additional Central Assistance, he observed.
However, the Status has been withdrawn from the States citing that these States are now comparably developed as the other States, he said.
The State government is not dejected with this development and we will try to move on, the Chief Minister said.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also expressed that the recent shooting incident at Pallel during a religious procession resulting in the death of a man is unfortunate and we should assure that such incidents are not repeated in the future.
If a few individuals from any one of the communities residing peacefully together in the State create a problem then let them be punished according to the law, he continued.
Just because a few individuals of a particular community is bad, we should not blame the whole community and we should never try to create communal tensions in the State, the Chief Minister appealed to the people.
Meanwhile, replying to a memorandum submitted by the Aimol Tribes Union, the Chief Minister assured that the PHSC at Aimol Tampak will be upgraded to a PHC and that the DC, Thoubal and the SDO, Kakching will be informed to take up necessary steps to evict the illegal encroachers from along the road connecting Pallel to Aimol Tampak.
He also assured to construct a community hall at Aimol Tampak.
Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee president Gaikhangam who is also the State deputy Chief Minister presiding over the function said BJP leaders including Union Ministers and the party`™s State leaders have been lying that the withdrawal of the Special State Status from Manipur was completed during the UPA government.
He continued that other than the few Central institutes in the State all funds from the Centre are sanctioned through the State government, Gaikhangam said further claiming that the BJP leaders are claiming that funds for the ADCs will be directly sanctioned to them.
BJP leaders including Union Minister making such lies tantamount to a housebreak ahead of the ADC election, the MPCC president claimed.
He further claimed that some of the BJP`™s State leaders of today had even served as Congress ministers in the past who had taken everything from the Congress party.
He said the Congress party is one of the many political parties of the world, however it is not simply a political party, but it is a platform for the public`™s agitations.
Today`™s function was also participated by MP Dr Th Meinya, MP Thangso Baite, Tengnoupal MLA DK Korungthang, MLA T Mangibabu Singh, MLA E Dwijamani, party candidates for the ADC election among others.