Our Correspondent
Imphal, Feb. 20 (EMN): The budget session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly began on Wednesday with Governor Dr Najma Heptulla addressing the session and presenting the budget estimates for 2019-20.
In her address, Governor Dr Heptulla said that the government bridged the emotional and developmental gaps between hill and valley areas with active participation of various communities under ‘Go to village’ mission.
In the power sector, she said all the 2,582 census villages in Manipur have been electrified as on January, 2019. Altogether, 98 un-electrified villages were electrified through solar lighting systems.
Under the Mission Organic Value Chain Development, an area of 2,000 hectare was brought under organic cultivation of black scented rice (Chak-Hao). More than 12,000 farmers across Manipur have been registered for organic certification.
In connectivity sector, helicopter service was launched in September 2018 in Manipur besides reviving the Manipur State Transport to cover six more districts. Under Pradhan Mantri Gram SadakYojana, 419 km of roads have been constructed as on Jan. 31, 2019 connecting 28 eligible habitations. 6,668 km of road has been constructed so far providing rural connectivity to 522 habitations.
Later in an obituary reference to former minister DP Panmei of Tamei constituency, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh stated the untimely demise of D.P. Panmei as unfortunate. He said that Panmei was elected as member of the house in the year 1995 under independent ticket and was minister (in charge of Family Welfare department). A soft, mature and prominent person, he had good academic records, before joining politics he worked as a social activist and student activist and worked for better relationship between hills and plains. He was closely associated with the Zeliangrong community and society. He always dealt the public with a smiling face.
In his obituary remark, opposition leader O. Ibobi Singh recalled the good times shared with late D.P. Panmei. He said that Panmei was a soft spoken, who possessed an extra
ordinary high quality and had represented various organisation. His death is a great loss not only to the people of Tamei assembly constituency but for the entire state, he added.
Later Environment and Forest Minister Th Shyamkumar today laid “The Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2019 (Manipur Ordinance No. 1 of 2019) on the Table of the House which was promulgated by the Governor of Manipur on Feb. 1. Secretary of the Manipur Legislative Assembly also intimated the House on the two Governor’s assent to Bill.
