Manipur’s Divide
The ethnic tensions in Manipur between the Kuki-Zo tribes and the Meitei community have brought the state's governance under intense scrutiny.
The Manipur government on Saturday celebrated the 45th Statehood Day at old Secretariat hall here in a function attended by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and other senior officials.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh said "Manipur despite being a small state in comparison to other larger Indian states, has achieved admirable achievements in several priority sectors".
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He said although the state faced several fund constraints, it had managed to take up developmental projects particularly in the health sector.
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Acknowledging the contributions of top government officials, he said "they are the real administrators of the state" and elected representatives of the people needed guidance from them in their area of expertise.
He also urged the militants outfits, operating in both the valley and hill areas, to ponder over their illegal activities and stoutly said "the militants cannot dictate the people in any way" though the state government is open for reasonable dialogues through democratic ways".
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam in his speech stated that "all efforts are on to make Manipur at par with other advanced states of the country before 2020."
He said the January 21 is a day to remember and is observed on annual basis.
The chief minister and deputy CM further acknowledged the need to end unemployment as well as improve the village connectivity in far-flung areas of the state.
Manipur became a full-fledged state in 1972 during the Prime Ministership of late Indira Gandhi. Earlier, the state remained a Union Territory after becoming a part of the country.
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