The House assembled at 11.00 am of Tuesday, the 7th March, 2006 in the Assembly Hall with the Hon’ble Speaker, Dr. Md. Maniruddin Shaikh in the Chair. 

MEMBERS PRESENT: 

            Hon’ble Chief Minister, 10 Cabinet Ministers, Chairman (Hill Areas Committee), 1 Minister of State and 41 Elected Members. 

QUESTIONS:

            (a)       Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 938 asked by Dr. S. Budhichandra Singh, MLA regarding the delayed in the construction of  Khajiri Bridge and Kangshang Bridge. 

            (b)       Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 940 asked by  Shri Thangso Baite, MLA regarding the road from Churachandpur to Singhat.                       

            (c)       Hon’ble Minister (R.D. & P.R.) made a reply to Starred Question No. 939 asked  by Shri Vivek Raj Wangkhem, MLA regarding the works taken up under PMGSY. 

            (d)       Hon’ble Minister (Power) made a reply to Starred Question No. 941 asked by  Shri Samuel Jendai, MLA regarding the status of Tipaimukh Dam Project. 

            (e)       Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 943 asked by  D.K. Korungthang, MLA regarding the maintenance of Tengnoupal-Sarsak Road. 

            (f)        Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 944 asked by  Shri S. Natum Singh, MLA regarding the  provision for repairing of Bijoy Govinda  Bridge. 

            (g)       Hon’ble Minister (P.H.E.D.) made a reply to Starred Question No. 945 asked by Shri Erabot Yumkham, MLA regarding the  improvement of sewerage system relating to Kongba basin. 

            (h)       Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 946 asked by Shri Th. Tomba Singh, MLA regarding the completion of bridge constructed  over Sekmai river. 

            (i)        Hon’ble Minister (Works) made a reply to Starred Question No. 947 asked by Shri Nongthombam Biren, MLA regarding the  construction of Kanto Bridge.           

            Answers to Starred Questions No. 942, 948 & 949 were laid on the Table of the House. 

ZERO-HOUR: 

            During Zero-Hour, Shri L. Ibomcha Singh, MLA , drew the attention of the Chief Minister regarding the shooting and injuring of a civilian by security personnel at Bishnupur district and the subsequent road blocked by the public. He also raised the issue of mass rape by some valley based insurgent outfit at Tipaimukh subdivision. 

            Shri P.S. Henry Paotei, MLA, drew the attention of the Works Minister to the frequent occurrence of accidents due to the pathetic condition of roads in Purul subdivision. 

CALLING ATTENTION: 

            (i)        Shri L. Ibomcha Singh, MLA called the attention of the Home Minister on the panicky situation in the Barak valley area following Army operation and said that the Manipuri community residing there were used as human shield by the army during the ‘Operation Tornado’ without providing proper food to them. He also pointed out the brewing of communal tension between the Manipuri community and the Bengali community and drew the attention of the Chief Minister to defuse the tension and settle the issue. 

            Shri O. Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister replying to the calling attention motion said that valley based insurgent outfits had been dominating the Barrak Valley area for the last decade paralysing civil administration but after ‘Operation Tornado’ conducted by the army, the insurgent outfits had been flushed out enabling the restoration of civil administration there. He also informed that the present communal tension between the Manipuris and Bengalis settled there had been settled to a certain extent  by posting a platoon of the 5th MR in that area which was also desired by various NGOs. 

SHORT DURATION DISCUSSION: 

            The Short Duration Discussion which was to be raised by Dr. Nmaichand Luwang, MLA was not taken up due to his absence. 

ANNOUNCEMENT OF LEAVE OF ABSENCE: 

            The Hon’ble Speaker informed the House that Shri S. Ibohal Singh, MLA had applied for leave of the House for the day. The House granted the leave.

DISCUSSION AND VOTING ON DEMANDS FOR GRANTS, 2006-2007: 

            Shri O. Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister  moved Demand No. 3 - Secretariat,  Demand No. 17 -  Agriculture, Demand No. 20 - Community Development and ANP, IRDP & NREP, Demand No. 25 - Youth Affairs and Sports Department,  Demand No. 36 - Minor Irrigation, Demand No. 38 - Panchayat, Demand No. 41 - Art and Culture and  Demand No. 47 - Welfare of minorities and Other Backward Classes. 

            The Hon’ble Speaker, clubbed all the eight demands for a joint consideration. 

            Shri M. Bhorot Singh, MLA, moving cut motions commented that Agriculture Department had failed to take up new initiatives. He pointed out that most of the state owned farms were defunct and expressed the need to modernised these farms and make them functional. He further said that the department had failed to check the quality of seeds imported from other states. He expressed doubt over the proper implementation of Central Sponsored Schemes in the state. The department, he said, lacked coordination with MI and CADA, which was very essential for enhancing agricultural production. Further commenting on the absence of Regulated Market in the state, he expressed the need to create markets by the government to enable the farmers to sell their products easily and profitably. Fertilizers, he suggested, should be procured and kept in stock. The Gram Sevak Training Centre at Lamphelpat and the Plant Quarantine Unit at Moreh, he said, should be strengthened and modernised for giving training to farmers and checking the quality of goods imported from Myanmar respectively. He further expressed the need to implement Library Rules and also to establish good libraries in the state. 

            Shri Th. Tomba Singh, MLA participating in the discussion highlighted the achievement of the hard-working people of Kakching in producing abundant Rabi crops by properly utilising Loushipat and Lourenpat. He also appealed to the concerned Minister to repair the Pick Up Weir and the canal which had been supplying water to the people of Kakching for both agriculture and household use. He further appealed to the Minister to help the people of Kakching in their effort to construction of  a pucca canal to enable better flow of water. 

(Hon’ble Speaker, Dr. Md. Maniruddin Shaikh adjourned the House at 1.03 p.m. till  2.00 p.m. of the day).

            (The afternoon session resumed at 2.13 p.m. with the Hon’ble Speaker, Dr. Md. Maniruddin Shaikh in the Chair). 

Shri I. Hemochandra Singh, MLA made observation on the lack of progress in reconstructing the Manipur State Central Library. He said that the Government should make a concrete policy to  modernise it. Regarding the demand of the Manipur State Minority Commission on the job reservation of Muslims, he said that a government policy was necessary to cover all minority groups. Moving a cut motion on Youth Affairs and Sports Department, he said that there was disparity in giving employment opportunities to sportpersons and emphasised the need to take bold steps in this regard by adopting a sports policy. He said that the infrastructure of the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex was not maintained properly and wanted the government to check the management of the Khuman Lampak Sports Development and Maintenance Committee. 

            Shri O. Joy Singh, MLA participating in the discussion observed that the meritorious sportpersons could be  given job opportunities without holding DPC. He said that the government should properly utilise the funds earmarked for improvement of sportsfields. He also expressed the need of an effective Secretariat service for enhancing better quality of governance by maintaining secrecy and taking prompt action.           

            Shri P. Parijat Singh, Minister (Agriculture, Minor Irrigation and Art & Culture), in his reply to demand discussion admitted that no checking was done on the certified seeds purchased. He said that the deteriorating condition of the State farms was due to financial constraints and law and order problem. Fertilizers except urea were decontrolled and 10 dealers were selected directly by the companies, he added. Regarding the Manipur State Central Library, he said that fund for its building construction had been earmarked and added that the Raja Ram Mohan Roy Library Foundation had also agreed to sanction funds for it. He made appeals to the cut motion movers to withdraw the motion. 

            Shri Govindas Konthoujam, Minister (Youth Affairs and Sports) in his reply to the discussion said that the encouragement given to the meritorious sportpersons was not less than their counterparts in other sates. Various facilities for sportpersons had been provided inspite of financial problems, he said. Regarding the infrastructure development of Khuman Lampak sports complex, the Khuman Lampak Sports Development and Maintenance Committee was taking charge of it, he added. He appealed to the cut motion movers to withdraw the motion. 

            Md. Allaudin Khan, Minister (Community Development and ANP, IRDP & NREP, Panchayat and Welfare of minorities and Other Backward Classes) making clarifications on the demand discussion said that opportunities were given to both minorities and OBCs in equal ratios as per rules. He mentioned the various programmes and schemes to be taken up for their welfare. He also said that there was provision to render facilities to the BPL families of all communities. 

            S/Shri M. Bhorot Singh, I. Hemochandra Singh, MLAs sought further clarifications and concerned ministers replied.

            At the end of the discussion, all the cut motions were withdrawn and the eight demands, Demand Nos. 3, 17, 20, 25, 36, 38, 41 and 47 were passed by the House. 

            Hon’ble Speaker, Dr. Md. Maniruddin Shaikh adjourned the House at 4.38 p.m. till 11.00 a.m. of Wednesday, the 8th March, 2006.