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* SUMMARY
LIST OF GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS
Address by His Excellency, the Governor of Manipur, Shri B.K. Nehru
to the Manipur Legislative Assembly on 30.3.1972.
Mr. Speaker and Hon’ble Members of Legislature,
I extend to you wholeheartedly my welcome and through you my warm
greetings and good wishes to the people of Manipur on this momentous
occasion of the convening of the first session of Manipur
Legislature, soon after the elections. I am conscious that this is
purely a formal session of the Assembly, but it is nevertheless
historical in the sense that this session marks the beginning of a
new chapter of full statehood which the people of Manipur have now
acquired in full measure of equality with the people of other States
in our great country of India.
2. In the wake of the statehood granted, the enactment of the
Manipur (Hill Areas) District councils Act, 1971, was also an
important landmark in the process of granting district autonomy
in the hill areas so as to associate the people in the process of
democratic and decentralized development. The functions of the
District councils and their scope will, I hope, go towards meeting
the requirements of economic growth.
3. Significantly enough, the advent of statehood coincided with the
birth of Bangladesh after the heroic and magnificent victory
achieved by the Indian Armed Forces together with the guerrilla
forces of Bangladesh. The people of Manipur along with their
brethren in other parts of the country showed a magnificent
response, moral and material, in meeting the challenges of the
situation which the country had to face. The demands made on the
Civil Administration in the operations leading to the liberation of
Bangladesh from the Pakistani military junta were also evenly met.
The situation created by the rising prices of paddy and staple food
during the crisis was effectively contained through a system of
distribution of Government stocks through fair price shops,
departmental distribution centres, Co-operative Societies, Gram
Sabha Pradhans and others. I also look forward to the time when
Manipur may derive benefits of economic growth as a result of the
newly emerged communication and trade pattern which are bound to
emerge on the new map of this entire region.
4. The statehood conferred on Manipur has not only met the political
aspirations of the people at large and brought them to a stage of
complete equality of opportunity with the people of other States,
but it has also given new hopes in the minds of the population,
providing the necessary infra-structure which would enable them to
manage the affairs of the State and lead to a greater progress.
While it marks the attainment of political and administrative
maturity, it also at the same time, gives them greater
responsibilities for shaping their future well-being in the manner
which should make this State richer and more prosperous. It is only
proper that the people through their elected representatives should
fully appreciate their powers and responsibilities and deliberate on
measures which would raise internal resources, so as to make it less
dependent on Centre’s loans, and to build the State of Manipur of
their dreams.
5. In its march for progress and development, Manipur has made
strides for the last few years through the Five Year Plans, and a
good deal has been achieved towards creating infra-structural
facilities, such as roads, power, communication, transportation,
etc, My Government will now continue the tempo of development and
draw up plans and schemes of progress keeping in view of the
overriding priorities of roads and communications and growth through
the potentially important sector of agriculture. Our State is
geographically located on the map which places it at a handicap
compared to others. That is all the more reason that transportation
and communication will be the basic requirement of any programme of
economic growth. Efficient road communication is also important for
rapid and efficient development of a communication system within
Manipur itself so that the valley and the hills should develop a
mutually dependant economy. Cereal crops, cash crops and
horticulture will, I hope, develop to the extent that Manipur would
be in a position to raise its resources by exporting its raw or
processed food products, developing at the same time agro-industries
on wide scale. Indeed, we should be forward looking enough to see
that our sweetest rice produced in Manipur is multiplied in quantity
through double/triple cropping by augmenting irrigation and power
facilities. We have already had a tradition of being in the front
line of handloom industry in the country as a whole, and we should
further explore the extension of handloom and other small scale
industries for which techno-economic surveys have been conducted by
the Industrial Development Bank of India, the Small Industries
Service Institute, Gauhati, the Ministry of Industrial Development
and the Rural Industries Project.
6. Our literacy is one of the highest in the country. Step is taken
towards fulfilling the constitutional directive for bringing about
free and universal Elementary Education of all the children upto the
age of 14.
7. A Board of Secondary Education for Manipur will be constituted
for which action has been taken for legislation. This will cater to
the long-felt need of the Sate for giving proper education at the
Secondary stage in conformity with the requirements of the State.
8. In the field of qualitative improvement programmes such as short
term course in the teaching of science, seminars and conferences in
collaboration with the NCERT have been organised. A Pilot Project
for the teaching of Science at the school stage under the UNICEF
Aided Projects will be taken up in the State also. A Sainik School
has also been established at Imphal, which will serve as a model
school for quality education as well as provide opportunities to the
youths of this State for careers in the Defence Services of the
country.
9. In the field of Technical Education, the Adim Jati Technical
Institute which had so long been run privately by the Adim Jati
Shiksha Ashram will be taken over by the Government for developing
it to a full-fledged Polytechnic for imparting technical education
at the diploma level.
10. In the field of higher education, a centre for Post-graduate
teaching has been established under the Jawaharlal Nehru University,
which will in due course of time develop into a full-fledged
University.
11. In the field of Culture, a State Kala Academy has been
established. The Academy will look after the development of the
already rich culture of this State.
12. Unemployment which has been a bye-product of socio-economic
circumstances has also to be tackled by finding enough avenues for
the youth and giving them opportunities to take up productive and
growth-oriented employment and to bring about a change of attitude
beyond the stage of while-collar jobs. Manipur should not, indeed,
lag behind in achieving the green revolution which promises
prosperity and better standard of living to the enlightened farmers
in other parts of the country. Indeed, one could look forward to a
brighter period of development after our important power projects,
such as Loktak Hydro Electric Project, are commissioned, bringing
thousands of acres of land under irrigation.
13. Before I conclude I may mention that the welfare of the
Government employees is also much dear to us. On the recommendation
of the Third Pay Commission interim relief was given to the
employees initially from the 1st March, 1970, and again from the 1st
October, 1971. Steps would also be taken for provision of adequate
housing and other basic requirements.
14. I should like to say how important it is that for all the
development and growth that we all desire in Manipur, we will also
have to ensure the basic requirement of peace and tranquillity in
the law and order field of Manipur. I am happy that the rank and
file of the forces of law and order have all these years attended to
their duties with utmost devotion, steadfastness, courage and
discipline and a fairly good number of them have been recipient of
President’s Police and fire Service Medals and other gallantry
awards. The question of expansion of the Police set-up and of
raising one more battalion of the Manipur Rifles is under active
consideration. The peace and tranquillity are essentially something
that should take root in the minds of all sections of people in
Manipur, and the same cannot be enforced externally only. The
economic growth of this young State may continue to be inhibited by
violent underground groups and opposition, who have unwisely been
misled into such activities which render movement of traders and the
people as a whole including Government personnel not without fear or
apprehension. Now that the Government of the people is to be run by
the elected representatives, all patriotic people will, I hope,
return to normal life to join hands with others for the prosperity
of the State as a whole.
15. I have taken this opportunity to bring some important matters
confronting the Government and the people of Manipur to the notice
of the Members of this august House. The people look to this House
with great hope and expectation and their welfare will receive due
and serious attention so that conditions are created in which our way
of life and ideals find the maximum fulfillment.
I have no doubt that this House will seriously devote itself to
deliberate and quicken development and to ensure the good of all.
JAI HIND
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