* SUMMARY LIST OF GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS  

ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, THE GOVERNOR OF MANIPUR, SHRI CHINTAMANI PANIGRAHI TO THE MANIPUR LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY ON 02-03-1990.

Hon’ble Speaker and Distinguished Members of the House,

I am indeed happy to welcome you to the First Session of the Fifth Legislative Assembly. I have the occasion to address the First Session of 1990 of the Fourth Legislative Assembly very recently. In the period intervening election was held to elect the members of the Fifth Legislative Assembly. I take this opportunity to heartily welcome the new members as also those who have been reelected to represent the electorate for a fresh term. I also would like to utilize this momentous occasion to extend my best wishes to all the Members of this august House.

In my last address to this House, I had elaborately touched upon the achievements of the Government during the preceding one year. While it is not my intension to again speak of those achievements, I am sure that each of you will agree with me that these significant occasion thus underscore the need to emphasise the thrust areas of my Government.

My Government is aware of :-
- the growing imperative of raising the individuality of the State of Manipur;
- the historical necessity of enriching the quality of life;
- the basic political responsibility for reducing poverty and deprivation; and
- the urgency for rational check on the undue transfer and misuse of resources .

My Government will, therefore, make serious efforts for:-
- a glorious political turn;
- a new economic order;
- a harmonious social character; and
- the preservation of Manipur’s distinctive cultural identity.

The current year is, as all of you are aware, the last year of the Seventh Plan. Hectic preparations are on to finalize the thrust areas of the Eight Plan and to finalize and give a concrete shape to the annual plan of 1990-91. This exercise, my Government realizes, is a very critical one and needs to be approached in a very comprehensive manner. The total outlay, during the Seventh Plan, which was originally envisaged as Rs. 430 crores, is expected to be over Rs. 526 crores. The economic services sector was given about 68% of the outlay. Social services sector 30% and the remaining 2% was given to general services sector. The minimum needs programme which form the core of the plan, accounted for 19.24% of the outlay and tribal sub-plan constituted 38.39% of the outlay. The target of food grain production, fertilizer consumption, afforestation through social forestry, acreage under plantation generation of employment, creation of irrigation potential, road communication and provision of water supply arrangements to the problem villages, are expected to be achieved.

My Government will make all endeavors to give a fresh momentum to the process of economic development in the State and ensure a clean and responsive administration. The Government proposes to review the content of important development schemes and the manner of their implementation with a view to ensuring the full benefit, commensurate with the outlays, reach the target population. Further, as a part of decentralization of planning and implementation processes fuller involvement of village authorities and village panchayats, district councils and local bodies like municipalities, etc, in the implementation of the schemes will be ensured. A beginning has already been made in this direction by involvement of village authorities and panchayats in implementing rural employment schemes.

Public Sector Undertakings of the State should play an important role in the economic development of the State. With a view to ensuring that these undertakings fulfilled the assigned tasks and objectives, their working will be reviewed and streamlined.

The State Government will give due importance to the development of rural and hill areas. To achieve this, the State will be spending over 65% of the Plan Outlay for development of rural and hilly areas during the Eighth Plan.

In order to step up resources of the State, tax collection machinery will be streamlined so that, without imposing additional burden, the revenue collection may go up substantially. To encougare ushering in of an atmosphere saving and investment, austerity and economy in Government expenditure will be excercised.

Faith in the noble virtue of man is the hidden code for preservation of democratic values. Consent and goodwill of the people are social assets. The continued use of the Armed Forces (Assam and Manipur) Special Powers Act, 1958, will be reviewed by my Government. My government proposes to initiate a dialogue with the underground organizations in the State within the framework of the Constitution with a view to ending the problem of insurgency and bringing in lasting peace in the State.

My Government will urge upon the Government of India to include the Manipuri Language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India so as to fulfil the rising aspirations of the people of Manipur and also to strengthen emotional integration of the State with the rest of the country. My Government will give fullest attention to the qualitative development of tribal dialects and their protection. All efforts will be made to bring about qualitative improvement of the education system in the State.

As a part of ensuring Distributive Justice, the escalating price trend in Manipur will be checked. The public Distribution System will also be improved. A comprehensive and determined attempt will be made to reduce the imperfections of the market.

Special mention may be made of the scope for tourism in Manipur. In view of the multidimentional benefits of a flourishing tourist industry, the Government of India would be apprised of the immediate necessity of lifting the foreigners’ (Protected Areas) order 1958 from Manipur. Both domestic and foreign tourist should be allowed, as in other parts of India to have easy entry.

Much remains to be done for the poor. At present 6 out of every 10 in the State are subject to various forms of deprivation. The economic condition of the poor should be improved. Towards these objectives, an integrated programme of food, health, education, water supply, power supply and road communication will be launched at the village level.

In the agrarian economy of Manipur, a large section of people depend on fishing as their main source of income. The inundation and submergence caused by the Ethai Barrage every year needs to be rectified. Under a master plan , the havoc of flood will be contained, and benefits of better water management and irrigation will be extended to the farming population in order to initiate a breakthrough in the rural economy. Both forest and fishery wealth will be tapped with adequate care. A viable alternative to Jhum Cultivation will be evolved and implemented. Further, the interest of the tribals in the hill areas will be protected particularly on the question of land. The farm economy will be ably aided by an agricultural university to be set up in the State shortly.

My Government will shortly announce a south public transport and communication policy for fair input delivery and output sales.

My Government realizes the need to provide an empetus to industrial growth in the State. While focusing on these issues the important role of small scale industries will be kept in mind and emphasis will be given to this sector. The Small Scale and agro-based industries will form a major thrust area to solve the present problem of unemployment in the State. A new industrial policy for the State will be evolved after considering the existing potentials and future needs. The question of providing one job to jobless families will be looked into.

Health care will be given necessary attention. The life saving drugs will be made available free of cost to the needy indoor patients. Serious steps will be taken to intensify the anti drug abuse programme in the State. The undesirable social trend will be guarded against.

A comprehensive attempt will be made to provide the necessary items of sports infrastructure to the boys and girls so as to develop the sports talent in them. Jobs will be reserved for the outstanding sportsmen of international standard.

My Government will set up a Permanent Bench of the high Court at Imphal shortly. An Administrative tribunal will also be set up to attend to the genuine grievance of the employees and ensuring expeditious redressal of the same. The feasibility of further raising the age limit for recruitment to posts, other than active and organised services, will be examined.

 A long term structural plan for Greater Imphal covering critical areas such as drainage, sewerage, water supply, sanitation, roads, traffic and transportation system, improvement of electrification and development of the State Capital Complex, is under active consideration.

During this Session, the Members will be discussing the Budget and various other issues which will have far reaching implications for the people of Manipur. Some of the proposals reflecting the priorities and programmes of the new Government will be incorporated in the State Budget to be placed before the House shortly. I fervently hope that the guiding principles of our Constitution and the collective wisdom of this august House would take us nearer to the final objectives that we as a nation look forward to.

I wish you all success in your deliberations.

JAI HIND