4 Hostels to come up in Senapati, 2 each in Chandel & Imphal
Imphal, Oct 5 : Faced with allegations of neglect by hill residents, the Manipur government will construct eight hostels at various places of the state for girl students of the five hill districts.
The government has also promised hostels for boys in the near future.
Apart from hostels for hill students, the state government also decided to construct markets for hill people in and around Imphal city.
The Centre approved a proposal for the construction of eight hostels for girl students of the five hill districts of Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel, Churachandpur and Tamenglong, who come to Imphal and other hill areas for higher education from the interior villages.
Of the eight hostels, four will be constructed in the Naga-dominated Senapati district while two will be constructed in Chandel district and two in and around Imphal city.
Chief minister Ibobi Singh today laid the foundation of one of the hostels to be constructed inside the compound of Manipur Baptist Convention (MBC) in Imphal city. The MBC is the largest Church organisation in Manipur and it has a higher secondary school inside the complex with students from all the hill districts.
The MBC hostel would have a capacity of 150 students and it would be constructed within six months at a cost of Rs. 5.61 crore. The seven other hostels would also have a similar capacity and construction budget.
Addressing the people at the foundation stone-laying programme, the chief minister promised more hostels and market places for vendors in and the around Imphal city, to provide marketing facilities for the hill people in the valley.
“We are looking for suitable places for at least two market places in and around Imphal city for the hill people in addition to the one now under construction at New Lambulane of Imphal city. The government has a firm commitment to bring equal development in the hills and the valley. Though we have different faiths and follow different religions, we are one and the same,” Ibobi Singh said.
Ibobi Singh’s action plan for development in the hills came after the recent prolonged agitation by Naga organisations spearheaded by United Naga Council, the apex body of the ethnic community in Manipur. It is aimed at doing away with the alienation of the hill people.
The UNC accused the state government of not protecting the rights of the hill people. The UNC had even announced severing of ties with the state government and has been urging the Centre to make alternative administrative arrangements for the Nagas in Manipur. Senapati is the nerve centre of all activities by the Naga bodies against the Ibobi Singh government.
On the other hand, Kukis are also demanding a homeland out of Manipur’s geographical area.
Though he did not mention the UNC and Kuki issues, the chief minister asked the hill settlers to support the government’s efforts to bring development in their districts.
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