The seeds of NIT, JNIMS

First, the opening of the National Institute of Technology and second the realisation of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, the first and only medical institute under the State Government and Chief Minister O Ibobi is once again on a honeymoon trip with fate. We say fate, because, the NIT and JNIMS have come to see the light of the day, not because of any extraordinary efforts by the SPF Government, but because of the universally accepted acknowledgement that “nobody can stop an idea, whose time has come.” In other words, these two institutions have come up because of the demand of the time and the strategic position that Manipur occupies on the map of India. After decades of misconception and misgovernance that bordered more on the discriminatory and the more disagreeable patronising stance, Delhi seems to have come around to the idea that it would be politically suicidal to view Manipur as just another frontier to ensure the security of the Nation, where the answer to everything was sought through the barrel of the guns and controversial Acts like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act. Though late, this realisation means that Delhi has come to terms with the fact that it can no longer afford to continue with its archaic approach and the only way to counter the threat perception, real or imaginary, from a country like China, is to look eastward and see how it can have a greater say in the region. The much talked about and the highly ambitious Trans-Asian Highway, that aims to connect India with South East Asian countries, rests on the strategic position that Manipur occupies and this is one of the major factors why a paradigm shift on the part of Delhi became necessary. In short, in the eyes of Delhi, infrastructure development in Manipur is a must for the Trans-Asian Highway to come to fruition and among others, the Jiri to Tupul and Tupul to Imphal railway line, under construction right now, is in perfect sync with the recently developed vision of India. The successful opening of the NIT and the JNIMS is but a part of the major transformation that is being witnessed across the world and since Delhi can no longer afford to be in denial mode it had to change its perception towards the North East and learn to look beyond the Brahmaputra or get itself exorcised from the “chicken neck” syndrome. This is not to deny Chief Minister O Ibobi his moment of glory under the Sun and at the risk of being seen as buttering the Chief Minister, we would go as far as stating that the NIT and JNIMS were two of his pet projects. Just recall the number of times he visited the then JN Hospital to see it journey through the many phases and hurdles to ultimately become the JNIMS. One may also recall the resolute stand of the Chief Minister in going ahead with the NIT project, despite the staunch opposition from certain quarters. And mind you, the opposition to its location at Langol had solid merits. Or maybe should we say that the Chief Minister too was compelled by the need of the time and the enforced changed perception of Delhi towards Manipur and the North East to toe the line scripted by the Congress High Command ?
No doubt, the opening of the two institutes will go a long way in serving the interest of the State and her people and it is also in line with the need felt by the country's political leadership to come up with as many IITs and IIMs as possible. In this age of cut throat competition, where there is no room for mediocrity, thorough professionals are the need of the hour, whether it is in engineering, medical or in human resource management or sound financial knowledge, which is a must in the corporate sector, and the two newly opened institutes should hopefully go a long way in producing professionals of high quality. This is where the policy and programme of the Government will gain significance. As Health Minister Ph Parijat noted, there is still a lot to be done at JNIMS, for there is always the possibility of revoking the green signal given by the Medical Council of India (before it was dissolved, following the bribery scandal) if JNIMS does not fulfil the demands of the time. We are sure the same yardstick too will apply in the case of the NIT with the All India Council of Technical Education, keeping a hawk’s eye. This means that the job of the Government has just begun and it has still a lot to do, if the setting up of the said institutions is to give any benefits to the people of Manipur in particular and the North East in general, especially in the backdrop of India looking beyond the border with Myanmar and to get a footing in the affairs of South East Asia. The words of Governor Gurbachan Jagat at the inaugural function of JNIMS, rang loud with wisdom and foresight, especially when he commented on the need for the Government to start looking for ways in which the services of those who pass out from these institutes can be harnessed to its optimum level. That the Governor stressed on the need to start this now is a tacit reminder to the Government to stop its culture of procastination and get things done on time. As things stand today, there are a number of engineering graduates from different institutes, who are yet to land a worthy job in the State, since the Engineering Departments of the State Government are already bursting at its seams and in the absence of major engineering firms, such as say Gammon India or Bharat Earth Movers Ltd etc. No doubt the successful opening of the NIT and JNIMS is a feather in the hat of the Congress led SPF Government, but lest it lulls them into believing that they can remain satisfied by just patting each other on the back, let's remind them that the work has just begun. The two institutions are also a reflection of the standing testimony of Delhi's changed perception towards Manipur and the North East, in the face of the fast changing power equation in South East Asia, with China now replacing Japan as the second biggest economy in the world after the US. Sources:- http://thesangaiexpress.com

PM’s address to the Nation on Independence-Day

“Dear citizens,
I greet you on the 63rd anniversary of our independence. When Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru unfurled the Tricolour on this historic Red Fort, on 15th August, 1947, he called himself the first servant of India. I address you today in the same spirit of service.
A few days back, many precious lives were lost in Ladakh due to a cloudburst. I convey my heart felt condolences to the family members and other near and dear ones of those who have perished. In this hour of grief, the whole country stands with the people of Ladakh. It is my assurance that the Central Government will do everything possible for rehabilitation of the affected people.
When I addressed you last year on Independence Day, our country was facing a number of difficulties. There was a drought like situation in many parts of the country. We were also affected by the global economic slow down. I am happy to say that we have acquitted ourselves well in these difficult circumstances. Despite many problems, the rate of our economic growth has been better than most other countries in the world. This shows the strength of our economy.
This strength has been evident not only in the last one year but also in our economic progress in the last many years. Today, India stands among the fastest growing economies of the world. As the world’s largest democracy, we have become an example for many other countries to emulate. Our citizens have the right to make their voice heard. Our country is viewed with respect all over the world. Our views command attention in international fora.
All of you have contributed to India’s success. The hard work of our workers, our artisans, our farmers has brought our country to where it stands today. I specially salute our soldiers whose bravery ensures the safety of our borders. I pay tribute to all those martyrs who have sacrificed their lives for our country.
We are building a new India in which every citizen would have a stake, an India which would be prosperous and in which all citizens would be able to live a life of honour and dignity in an environment of peace and goodwill. An India in which all problems could be solved through democratic means. An India in which the basic rights of every citizen would be protected. In the last few years, we have taken many significant steps in this direction. Every person living in rural areas now has the assurance of 100 days of employment through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The Right to Information Act is helping our citizens to become more aware. This year our Government has enacted the Right to Education which will help every Indian to share in the benefits of the country’s economic progress and also to contribute to it. To ensure equal partnership of women in our progress, we have taken initiative for reservation for women in Parliament and in State legislatures. Apart from this, reservation for women has been increased to 50 per cent in local bodies.
Despite our many strengths, we face some serious challenges. We should resolve today that we will meet these challenges as one people. Our society often gets divided in the name of religion, State, caste or language. We should resolve that we will not allow divisions in our society under any circumstance. Tolerance and generosity have been a part of our traditions. We should strengthen these traditions. As we progress economically our society should also become more sensitive. We should be modern and progressive in our outlook.
Our Government has laid special emphasis on the welfare of our farmers and on increasing agricultural production. After we came to power in 2004, we realized that the state of Indian agriculture in the preceding 7-8 years was not satisfactory. Our Government increased public investment in agriculture. We started new schemes for increasing production. We encouraged agricultural planning at the district level. I am happy that the growth rate of our agriculture has increased substantially in the last few years. But we are still far from achieving our goal. We need to work harder so that we can increase the agricultural growth rate to 4 percent per annum.
Our Government wants a food safety net in which no citizen of ours would go hungry. This requires enhanced agricultural production which is possible only by increasing productivity. Our country has not witnessed any big technological breakthrough in agriculture after the Green Revolution. We need technology which would address the needs of dry land agriculture. In addition, our agriculture should also be able to deal with new challenges like climate change, falling levels of ground water and deteriorating quality of soil. In the history of Indian agriculture, Norman Borlaug commands a special place. About 40 to 50 years back he developed new and more productive seeds of wheat. Under the leadership of Smt. Indira Gandhiji, India achieved the Green Revolution by adopting these seeds. I am happy to announce that the Borlaug Institute of South Asia is being established in India. This institute would facilitate availability of new and improved seeds and new technology to the farmers of India and other countries of South Asia.
We have always taken care to provide remunerative prices to farmers so that they are encouraged to increase production. Support prices have been increased every year in the last six years. The support price for wheat was enhanced to Rs.1,100 per quintal last year from Rs.630 per quintal in 2003-04. In paddy, this increase was from Rs.550 per quintal to Rs.1,000 per quintal. But one effect of providing higher prices to farmers is that food prices in the open market also increase.
I know that in the last few months high inflation has caused you difficulties. It is the poor who are the worst affected by rising prices, especially when the prices of commodities of every day use like foodgrains, pulses, vegetables increase. It is for this reason that we have endeavored to minimize the burden of increased prices on the poor. Today, I do not want to go into the detailed reasons for high inflation. But, I would certainly like to say that we are making every possible effort to tackle this problem. I am also confident that we will succeed in these efforts.
It is obvious that any person or institution cannot spend more than his income over a long period of time, even if it is the Government. It is our responsibility that we manage our economy with prudence so that our development is not affected adversely in the future because of high debt. We import about 80 percent of our requirement of petroleum products. After 2004, we have increased the prices of petroleum products much less compared to the increase in the price of crude oil in the international market. The subsidy on petroleum products has been increasing every year. It had become necessary therefore to increase the prices of petroleum products. If this had not been done, it would not have been possible for our budget to bear the burden of subsidy and our programmes for education, health and employment of the poor would have been adversely affected.
In the 63 years after independence, India has covered a long distance on the path of development. But our destination is still far away. A large part of our population still suffers from persistent poverty, hunger and disease. When our Government came to power in 2004, we resolved to build a new India under a progressive social agenda. We wanted the fruits of development to reach the common man. We initiated programmes especially targeted to the welfare of the socially and economically backward sections of our society. We still stand committed to the welfare of the poor, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities, women and other backward sections of our society. But today we do not need many new programmes to achieve our goals. However, we do need to implement the schemes we have already started more effectively, minimizing the chances of corruption and misuse of public money. We want to achieve this in partnership with the State Governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions and civil society groups.
Secularism is one of the pillars of our democracy. It has been the tradition of our country and society to treat all religions with equal respect. For centuries India has welcomed new religions and all have flourished here. Secularism is also our constitutional obligation. Our Government is committed to maintain communal peace and harmony. We also consider it our duty to protect the minorities and provide for their special needs. This is why we have started many new programmes in the last four years for the welfare of our brothers and sisters belonging to the minority communities. These include scholarships for minority students and special programmes for the development of districts which have a high concentration of minorities. These schemes have shown good results. We will vigorously take this work forward.
We have been giving special attention to education and health in the last six years. Improvement in these two areas is an important component of our strategy for inclusive growth. It is also necessary for higher economic growth in the years to come. After independence, these two areas could not get the importance they deserved. We tried to change this state of affairs in the 11th Plan. Today, almost every child in our country has access to primary education.
Now, we need to pay more attention to secondary and higher education. We also need to improve the quality of education at all levels. It is our endeavour that every child, irrespective of whether he is rich or poor and which section of the society he belongs to, should be given an education that enables him to realize his potential and makes him a responsible citizen of our country. We will continue to implement the new schemes that we have started in the last six years in the areas of education and health with sincerity and hard work and in partnership with the State Governments. We will soon bring a Bill to Parliament for constitution of two separate councils in higher education and health respectively so that reforms in these two areas can be accelerated.
Nutritious food and good health services are necessary but not enough for ensuring good health of our citizens. We also need cleanliness and good sanitation in our villages, towns and cities. There are many diseases which would be difficult to prevent otherwise. The truth is that our country lags behind in this area. I consider it a primary responsibility of all our citizens to maintain cleanliness and hygiene around them. I would like our children to be taught the importance of cleanliness and hygiene in schools from the very beginning under a campaign for a Clean India. I appeal to the State Governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions, civil society groups and common citizens to make this campaign successful.
Mahatma Gandhi had said that our earth has enough for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed. Imprudent use of the earth’s natural resources has resulted in the problem of climate change. We need to use our natural resources with care and prudence. It is our responsibility towards the coming generations to protect and preserve our forests, rivers and mountains. Our government will endeavour to take care of environmental concerns in our projects for economic development.
There is a large deficit in our physical infrastructure which affects our economic development adversely. There is a shortfall in the supply of electricity to industries. Our roads, ports and airports are not of world standards. We have been trying to increase electricity production and improve our roads, ports and airports. The resources required to create good physical infrastructure are difficult for the Government alone to mobilize. Therefore, we have endeavoured to involve the private sector in our efforts.
The steps that we have taken after 2004 to improve our physical infrastructure have started bearing fruit now. About one and half a months back, I dedicated a new terminal of the Delhi airport to the nation. This is an excellent terminal which has been completed in record time. We will continue to make such efforts to improve our physical infrastructure.
There has been much discussion recently on the issue of internal security. If law and order in any part of India deteriorates or peace and harmony gets disturbed, the common man is adversely affected. Therefore, it is one of the primary responsibilities of any government to maintain law and order so that the citizens can live and earn their livelihood in an atmosphere of peace and harmony. Naxalism is a serious challenge to our internal security. I pay tribute to the men and officers of our security forces who have became martyrs in the attacks by Naxalites in the last few months. I have stated this before and I say it again - our Government will fully discharge its responsibility to protect each and every citizen of our country. We will deal firmly with those who resort to violence. We will provide all possible help to State Governments to maintain the rule of law in areas affected by Naxalism. I once again appeal to Naxalites to abjure violence, come for talks with the Government and join hands with us to accelerate social and economic development. A few days back I took a meeting with the Chief Ministers of States affected by Naxalism. We will fully implement the consensus that emerged in that meeting. I would like to repeat here a point that I made in that meeting. It is imperative that Centre and States work together to meet the challenge of Naxalism. It would be very difficult for any State to tackle this problem without cooperation from the Centre and coordination between States. We all need to rise above our personal and political interests to meet this challenge.
As I have stated earlier, most Naxalite affected areas lag behind in development. Many such areas also have a large concentration of our adivasi brothers and sisters. We want to end the neglect of these areas. I have asked the Planning Commission to formulate a comprehensive scheme towards this end, which we would implement fully. It is also our endeavour that our adivasi brothers and sisters join the mainstream of development. They have been dependent on forest produce for centuries and this dependence should not end without the creation of new sources of livelihood. Apart from adequate compensation for land which is acquired from them, we should also ensure that our adivasi brothers and sisters have a stake in the developmental project being undertaken.
I would like to state one more thing in this context. It is very necessary to make the administrative machinery more sensitive in areas affected by Naxalism. The government officials who work there should not only be sincere but should also be alive to the special needs of our adivasi brothers and sisters. It is my hope that the State Governments will pay adequate attention to these requirements.
We have a special responsibility towards the States of the North East. We are trying to live up to that responsibility. The North Eastern part of our country has been witness to some unpleasant incidents in the recent months. I would like to convey to all political parties and groups of the North East that disputes in the name of State or tribe can only harm all of us. Discussion and dialogue are the only options to resolve complex issues. As far as the Central Government is concerned, we are ready to take forward every process of talks which could lead to progress in resolution of problems.
In Jammu and Kashmir, we are ready to talk to every person or group which abjures violence. Kashmir is an integral part of India. Within this framework, we are ready to move forward in any talks which would increase the partnership of the common man in governance and also enhance their welfare. Recently, some young men have lost their lives in violence in Jammu and Kashmir. We deeply regret this. The years of violence should now end. Such violence would not benefit anyone. I believe that India’s democracy has the generosity and flexibility to be able to address the concerns of any area or group in the country. I recently participated in a meeting with political parties from Jammu and Kashmir. We will endeavour to take this process forward. I would like to convey to our countrymen, especially our citizens in Jammu and Kashmir and in the North East, that they should adopt democratic means to join hands with us for their and country’s welfare.
We want prosperity, peace and harmony in our neighbouring countries. Whatever differences we have with our neighbouring countries, we want to resolve them through discussions. As far as Pakistan is concerned, we expect from them that they would not let their territory be used for acts of terrorism against India. We have been emphasizing this in all our discussions with the Pakistan Government. If this is not done, we cannot progress far in our dialogue with Pakistan.
I would also like to say something which is related to our glorious cultural traditions. The use of harsh and unpleasant words in our political discourse has increased in recent days. This is against our traditions of generosity, humility and tolerance. Criticism has a place of its own in a democracy and in a progressive society. However, criticism should not be undignified. We should have the capacity to reconcile opposite points of view on important issues through debate and discussion. I would request all political parties to consider this issue.
The Commonwealth Games will start in Delhi after about one and a half months. This will be a proud moment for the whole country and especially for Delhi. I am convinced that all our countrymen will treat the Games as a national festival and will leave no stone unturned to make them a success. The successful organization of Commonwealth Games would be another signal to the world that India is rapidly marching ahead with confidence.
Our future is bright. The day when our dreams will come true is not far off. Let us all resolve on this anniversary of our independence that we will keep the flag of our nation flying high. Let us march ahead together on the path of progress and prosperity.
Dear children, please say Jai Hind with me. JAI HIND, JAI HIND, JAI HIND.”

NE in Tryst with Destiny

We have now stepped into the 64th year since making our tryst with destiny on August 15, 1947, and as in preceding years, the same question continues to haunt us and that is whether the present India is what Nehru had in mind when he famously addressed the Nation with his Tryst with Destiny speech way back in 1947. The birth of India as a Nation was not without its share of turmoil and heart burns and one just has to recollect the blood and gore during the Partition, when human beings were slaughtered by fellow human beings blinded by hatred and a rage within, which could be calmed down by butchering the ones on the other side. If Gandhiji led the Freedom Movement with his unique Ahimsa or non-violence philosophy, the violence, bloodshed and gore under which India and Pakistan emerged as two different countries, after the British left, tells the journey of a Nation in idea, founded on the message of peace and brotherly co-existence to a Nation born with blood. It is not without any reason that the Partition is often cited as an example, when any deep divide arises along communal affiliations or ethnic ties. After Gandhi, the job was then left to Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel and others to propagate the idea of India as a Nation to all the provinces which were hitherto under the British Raj. And in propagating the idea of an Indian Nation, no one can claim to be a holy cow, for the politics of betrayal, threat and intimidations were often resorted to and the fruit of such an approach can today be seen in North East India, where a number of rebel groups have emerged to engage the Indian armed forces in a bush war for decades. The Nagas raised the banner of independence on August 14, 1947 one day ahead of India, while Manipur reverted to its earlier status as a sovereign State, which had its own system of governance. Tripura also experienced the same story of Manipur, with the then incumbent king or queen signing the controversial Merger Agreement under dubious and controversial circumstances. It is the thorn of the political double speak, high treason and betrayal, whether imagined or factually correct, that surrounds the Merger Agreement, which continues to prick the very idea of an India as a Nation, at least in the North East. This has provided the perfect launching pad for armed insurgency to mushroom in almost all the States in the region. The Naga armed movement seems to have come to a closed chapter, despite the occasional threats and rantings from its leaders and earlier we saw how Mizoram was able to regain its sanity after decades of bush war and violence, thanks to the Mizo Accord of 1986. In Manipur, there is nothing that offers us a glimpse of hope that a solution is in sight and instead the trouble or problem besetting this State of some 25 odd lakh population seem to be getting more and more complicated with each passing year. Today, it is not only a question of surviving the violence that we see all around, in the form of bombs being planted at the residence of some individual, ambushes on security personnel, street wars or pitched battle between the women vigilantes and the Government over the continued imposition of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and most significantly, the growing ethnic divide between the Nagas of Manipur and the Meiteis over the Greater Lim issue which has come to take the form of economic blockades on the National Highways and counter blockades in the valley areas.
This is Manipur in brief, after 63 years of independence and however much we would like to believe that this is not what Nehru had in mind, when India made her tryst with destiny on August 15, 1947, the bitter reality lies in the question of whether the idea of India as a Nation has taken firm roots across the length and breadth of the country. The North East does not figure in the National Anthem, with due respect to Rabindranath Tagore, nor are its multifarious culture and uniqueness reflected in the National flag. The very fact that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, in his address to the Nation on Independence Day on August 15 from the Red Fort in Delhi, made a specific reference to the North East, says something about where the region figure in the overall scheme of things in the present Government and we would like to say, it is rather encouraging. It is on occasions like Independence Day and Republic Day, that the finer nuances of the agenda of the Government of the day, can be understood. The Nation already knows the stance of the Centre and particularly the stand of the Prime Minister on the Maoists and the “biggest internal threat to India” quip by Dr Manmohan Singh could not have been an off the cuff remark but was stated after taking into considerations all the facts and circumstances. A whole gamut of issues were touched upon by the Prime Minister ranging from the flash floods at Leh, which has taken a heavy toll on human lives to the economy of the country, which was described as encouraging. We are not economists or financial analysts, but the optimistic message by the Prime Minister is encouraging and does not sound like some political rantings, given his academic background. The speech to the Nation by itself is an annual affair, and to some, it may have lost its relevance, but to States like Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the North East, the Prime Minister's speech offers us a glimpse of the political agenda in the mind of the Government. Taken this into consideration, we feel, the Prime Minister's speech, while referring to the North East, “I would like to convey to all political parties and groups of the North East that disputes in the name of States or tribes can only harm us,” is replete with meaning and will surely not miss the eyes of the NSCN (IM) leaders and the people of Manipur. This is the second time that two Prime Ministers from different political parties have managed to subtly but effectively put across their message on the Lim issue and the first was Atal Behari Vajpayee, who said that the issue needs a political consensus of all concerned, while addressing a meeting at Kohima when the NDA was in power !

IMC : The villain or a scapegoat ?

No one will shed tears for the epitaph that was scripted for the Imphal Municipal Council, by the Government of Manipur a few days back. Technically it is just a suspension of the Council and not a dissolution or doing away with the present crop of Councillors and letting the status of the employees of IMC hang in the balance, but in spirit the suspension can be said to be as good as ringing the ‘pack up time’ bell for the Councillors ! It would not be fair to pick on the IMC primarily on the basis of financial bunglings and the loss to the State exchequer, for there are other numerous institutions or Government agencies which have proved to be a bigger embarassment than the IMC. The amount said to have been misutilised or misappropriated and the sum of money which the Government has to dole out every month to meet the salary demands of the IMC plus other needs may be said to be peanuts if we go in for a comparative study of all Government agencies in the State. Just for the records or for those who strictly believe in going by statistics and other details, the State Government is understood to cough up Rs 19 lakhs every month to meet the demands of the IMC, including the salaries of its employees as well as the honorarium of the Councillors. This is against the Rs 5.5 lakhs which the IMC is able to generate as income every month. Simple calculation tells us that every month the shortfall between the needs of the IMC and the revenue it generates is Rs 13.5 lakhs. In other words, this means that the State exchequer or the tax payers of the land have had to meet the salary requirements and other needs of the IMC staff and the Councillors for years. As per the official notification issued by the State Government on August 9, 2010, a Committee of Officers headed by the Additional Secretary (MAHUD) as the Chairman with the Chief Engineer of PDA, Under Secretary (Finance) and Assistant Director (MAHUD) as members on September 3, 2009 was set up to study the functioning of the IMC and the decision to suspend the Council was based on the report submitted by the said Committee. Yes, the IMC has been a gravy train, and its efficiency or rather ineffeciency can be seen every time one takes a walk through Nagamapal or any street in the commercial centres of Imphal. In fact, it is something of a providence that no contagious diseases have spread from the rotting garbages, that have become the landmark of Imphal in the bazar areas. There were many other loopholes pointed out by the Committee and this includes, apart from the financial mismanagement, abuse of power and administrative lapses, failure to document the properties and assets of the IMC, fixing Rs 15,000 as the salary of the Chairperson against the Government approved rate of Rs 1500 per month, Rs 13,000 against the approved amount of Rs 1200 per month for the Vice Chairperson, Rs 12,000 as against the approved amount of Rs 800. Not only this, the IMC was also nailed for diverting the fund of Rs 13.92 lakhs granted by the 12th Finance Commission to purchase two tipper trucks to pay the salary of its employees and other needs. Not only this, another Rs 36,46,000 released by the 12th Finance Commission in 2006-'07 for solid waste management, but out of this amount Rs 24,64,657 was diverted to pay the salaries of the employees and the Chairperson.
Given this damning fact, there is no reason to exonerate the present crop of Councillors and possibility of lodging cases of fund embezzlement in the law Court cannot be dismissed altogether. Chief Minister O Ibobi has cracked his whip and this is wonderful, but there are still some questions which may be raised, though, at the risk of being dubbed cynics or overly pessimistic, refusing to see anything positive in what the Government does. It would do good for all to remember the numerous times that employees of the IMC have gone on strike to demand their pay and salaries. It will also help all not to forget that the IMC had been rendered comatose or handicapped by lack of basic necessities such as fuel to operate their pick up trucks to clear garbage. In fact, the mess that the IMC finds itself in today is not a recent development and it stretches back to the time as far as our memory can recall. The question now is, and this is very important, why has the SPF Government suddenly woken up to the reality of the viruses eating away the vital organs of the IMC ? Mr Ibobi has been the Chief Minister, without a break since 2002, and it is during this time that Imphal started its first step towards urbanisation as understood universally but conveniently forgot the baggages that come along with the process of urbanisation. The dug up roads and the open manholes that dot the streets of Imphal, thanks to the Sewerage Project is an apt example. This is but one example that we can think of at the moment, but the sudden interest shown by the Government in the functioning of the IMC is somewhat intriguing if we take the past into considerations. Let's also take into considerations some very important points. Imphal is one of the cities or State capitals selected for the first phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewable Mission under the Union Ministry of Urban Development. There is also the Urban Housing Scheme, Drainage System etc, just to name a few which are in the pipeline and which have already started. Not surprisingly all these projects involve huge amount of money and given the reputation of the SPF Government, there are bound to be sceptics like us, who may smell something more than just toning up the administration of the IMC, for if the IMC is there, the projects mentioned, can go to them, in short the fund for these projects. We leave it to Mr Ibobi and his men and the Babudom to answer why such questions have cropped up in the first place ! Also do not forget the Zero Garbage campaign launched on August 12, 2010 ! Will it be Zero Garbage or Zero Performance ?

Delhi : Lying without blushing

It is the mother of all contradictions or paradoxes or more importantly a classic case of lying through the teeth without blushing ! While the world has become a global village, thanks to the rapid progress in Information Technology, the Delhiwallahs in the garb of netas, seem to think that they can get away by lying or playing the game of ignorance. Or else how does one explain the response from the Delhi netas, who had the temerity to counter pose, why they have not been informed of the grave humanitarian crisis in Manipur, which was scripted, directed and produced by the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur and came under the blockbuster name of Economic Blockade that stretched for 68 days ? Not only is this an added insult but it also exposes where and how Manipur figures in the overall scheme of Delhi. The question of ‘not informing them earlier’ sounds like a poor joke in this age when any information can be had with the click of the mouse. In 2005, the story was the same, with the dhoti and topi clad politicians relaxing in their air conditioned rooms, while the 25 odd lakh population had to spend over night at a petrol pump to get their share of five or ten litres of petrol or diesel, for 52 days. No, we are not treading the beaten path of ‘Delhi bashing’ when anything goes wrong in the State for that would amount to flogging a dead horse. However we need to see and understand Delhi's policy towards the North East and Manipur, from a new perspective, particularly in the backdrop of the demand raised by the NSCN (IM) for the creation of a Greater Lim, where all Naga inhabited areas will come under one administrative unit. A full understanding of Delhi's approach to Manipur vis-a-vis the Lim issue may well be a diffcult or even an impossible task, but being on alert equipped with a questioning mind helps in identifying the not so obvious but nevertheless significant point. It is with such a mental preparation that we can detect the slips made by Delhi especially when some political leaders reportedly reprimanded some leaders from Manipur, why the economic blockade and the resultant humanitarian crisis was not brought to their notice earlier ! By this very admission, the political class stands exposed for all to see and hear and the message that one gets is, Manipur is important only as a frontier State, since it is strategically placed and can be the doorway to South East Asia through which India hopes to play a more meaningful role. Remember, BRIC-Brazil, Russia, India and China, which were at one time touted as the countries to watch out for. The factors working in favour of these BRIC countries are the availability of cheap labour, both skilled and unskilled, the large geographical areas they cover, the huge population etc. With China clearly stealing a march over India in almost every aspect, politically, militarily and most significantly economically, Delhi cannot afford to remain smug and hence the marginal increase in the importance of Manipur as a dominion of India in the eyes of Delhiwallahs. There are no emotional ties or cords that bind the people of the North East with the people of mainland India and the act of coining the term, North East region itself has some significant meanings. The lies of the Delhi netas, only add to the misgivings.

So even after more than two months of choking the life lines of the State, the leaders at Delhi were not aware of the facts here, or so they claim ! Either the people who run the affairs of the country are ignorant fools or they care two hoots about the fate of the people of Manipur and this does not speak well for the largest democracy in the world. The mainland media too preferred to concentrate on the Khap Panchayats and honour killings and of course, the wedding of Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and how Rahul Gandhi, the heir apparent of the Gandhi legacy, personally sent his wishes to the newly wedded couple ! The very fact that CNN-IBN ran a story under the title, “Is Manipur India's Forgotten State ?” with the inimitable Rajdeep Sardesai at the helm, itself says that there is a missing chain somewhere and the ‘chicken neck syndrome,’ which refers to the narrow strip of land that connects the North East region with the rest of the country, attains a certain level of legitimacy. Yes, after more than 60 days of people coping without fuel, LPG and escalating prices of all goods, including daily needs such as rice, dal or vegetables, Delhiwallahs had the temerity to come up with the question, why they were not informed before ! This is an insult to the existence of Manipur as a State of India, for as we have noted in the very beginning of this commentary, the progress in Information Techno- logy has brought the world closer than ever before and information from any part of the world can be had by just clicking the mouse ! Or are the Delhi netas not adept in using the internet ? We understand that there is a separate Union Ministry specially set up for the North East in the form and name of Development of North East Region as well as the North Eastern Council. In the face of this fact, we cannot help but question, whether these institutions exist only to inaugurate foundation stone laying ceremonies of bridges or merely act at the time of appointing the Director of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences ? Now that Delhi has woken up to the humanitarian crisis that besieged Manipur for more than 60 days, it is amazing to see how security along the highways has suddenly become so effective. Does this mean that all these years, the Centre did not care or did not bother to realise the gravity of the situation everytime an economic blockade is imposed here ? Or does it mean that it prefers to opt for the ‘ignorance is bliss line,’ especially when the blockade is imposed with the Lim issue serving as the rallying point ? In a few days, India will celebrate her Independence Day, but sadly, out of circumstances or out of the mess created by the political class, States in the North East, especially Manipur will see only deserted streets. Is this the “Tryst With Destiny” that Nehru had in mind way back in 1947 ? Sources:-http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/