IMPHAL, February 2: The Central government has approved a Rs 200 crore one time sanction for construction of all Nationa Highways of Manipur after de-sanctioning the previous allocations from the Union Road Transport Ministry, Thongju MLA Th Bishwajit said today.
He said this is against the present trend of the State government asking for fund allocation for construction and repairing of the highways for one stretch at a time amounting to Rs 30-40 crores each time.
The BJP MLA said during a recent meeting in the national capital, the Union Minister of Surface and Road Transport Nitin Gadkari asserted that the Centre will provide a one-time sanction of Rs 200 crores for construction of the highways especially the Imphal-Dimapur highway by de-sanctioning the fund allocated for repairing and construction of a highway stretch at a time.
The Union Minister also assured to upgrade the Imphal-Yairipok Road which acts as an important road for Imphal East to a National-Highway status, he said.
However, the State government has to submit a proposal for the same to the Centre, he added.
Bishwajit said the Union Minister was also urged to look into the issue of the earthquake damaged Ima Markets and other periphery markets.
He said the Centre has also approved reconstruction of 12 market sheds and as such it was urged to keep the two damaged Ima Markets in the priority list.
The other market sheds are Kongba Bazaar, Khurai Lamlong Bazaar, Nambol Bazaar, Kwakeithel Bazaar, Mayang Imphal Bazaar, Lilong Chajing Bazaar, Lamlai Bazaar, Shikhong Sekmai Bazaar, Kakching Khunou Bazaar and Kwakta Bazaar.
He further lambasted the Congress government in the State for not properly looking into the issues regarding the market sheds in the peripheral areas of Imphal.
Due to the negligence of the State government, the market sheds have been left in pathetic conditions, he claimed.
The public toilet facilities in the markets sheds are not maintained at all and market sheds are old and have not been repaired since they were constructed, he stressed further.
During the recent meeting with the Union Minister, a State BJP team had highlighted the detail reports of all such market sheds, he added.
He said these assurances are witnesses of the Central government’s commitment in bringing NE towards development.
The MLA further said that the Ministry of Civil Aviation has also approved to install an emergency landing pad in the State soon.
Bishwajit was speaking at the reception function of five councillors of the part from Shithong Sekmai Council including three independent candidates who had joined the party.
Speaking on the occasion, BJP Manipur president Th Chaoba said that Nambol Municipal Council is the second largest after the Imphal Municipal Council, but unfortunately in the last 15 years no tap water have been provided in the area.
The Nambol Municipal Council covers portions of Nambol Assembly Constituency and Konthoujam Assembly Constituency, he said.
Chaoba said the BJP Manipur has submitted a DPR for water supply schemes with an estimate of Rs 24 crores. However, during the recent visit to the national capital, the State BJP team learnt that the Union Minister of State for Water Resource Venkatesh Naidu has revised the previous estimate to Rs 32 crores which the MoS has assures to sanction very soon.
The Shikhong Sekmai Municipal Council is under Heirok AC Thoubal and the BJP has now five seats of the total nine.
The councillors are Md Tolen Shah Ward number 1 BJP elected candidate, M Santosh Ward Number 9 BJP elected candidate. And elected Independent candidates joining to BJP are S Roma Devi councilor Ward Number 2, Y Indrajit Singh councilor Ward Number 4 and youngest candidate among the 279 councilor of the recent civic body election Th Debita Devi councilor of ward number 7 who is now studying in BA Second years in Chandigarh.