Displaced Manipur Sadar Hills Villagers Returning Home

By Sobhapati Samom
 
Imphal, Mar 2 : The displaced Sadar Hills villagers under Senapati district who have been taking shelter at the Koujenleima community hall, Sekmai in Manipur’s Imphal West district, since February 23 following an alleged threat from Kuki National Front (P), a militant outfit which is presently engaging Suspension of Operation(SoO)with the government, have started returning to their respective villages.

Normalcy returned in the said villages after an assurance from the group besides having an understanding between the villagers and the SoO signatory in presence of civil society organisations ,sources reaching here said.

A large police team led jointly by officer in charges of Sekmai PS and Sapermeina PS escorted the villagers to their respective places.

The villagers agreed to return home after KNF (P) assured them that no quit notice have been served and necessary action would be taken up if any of its cadres were found to have issued such quit notice.

Earlier KNF(P) general secretary Aaron Kipgen had clarified that no ultimatum was served to leave their place of residence as reported in the media but exercised the right to drive away non-SoO armed groups operating in the area.

Meanwhile, Sekmai Nagar Panchayat, Women Society, Sekmai and Sekmai Youth Development Club, which have been looking after the need of the panic fleeing villagers, have conveyed their gratitude to the Government, the police and other civil organisations that have taken major role towards ensuring resolution of the issue amicably and allowing the villagers to return to their respective Motbung, Saparmeina and Kangpkopi villages.

Many civil society organisations including the United Committee Manipur and Kuki Inpi Manipur have been urging the government to break the impasse so that the villagers can return to their homesteads without any fear.

MNF Observes Day of Independence

Aizawl, Mar 2 : The Mizo National Front (MNF) on Tuesday observed the 45th year of its declaration of "independence" from the Indian Union at the party's office in Aizawl.

Addressing party workers, former chief minister Zoramthanga said the MNF declared independence on March 1, 1966, as the Mizos regarded the Constitution as an imposed one. "We, the Mizo people, were not represented in the constituent assembly which drafted the Constitution in 1947," added Zoramthanga.

He said Mizos have the right to self-determination and that's why they had declared that they were free.

He, however, admitted that the Mizos did not have any political experience at that time. "The British government gave permission to form a political party in 1946, one year before giving independence to India," he added.

He said the MNF tried to achieve independence with non-violent means, but the government sent armed troops which compelled the party to take up arms.

The MNF declared independence on February 28 midnight when the cadres of Mizo National Volunteer (MNV), later rechristened as the Mizo National Army (MNA), overran many Army and Assam Rifles camps in different parts of Mizoram.

The MNF led by former chief minister Laldenga signed the historic "Mizo Accord" with the Centre on June 30, 1986, and Mizoram, which was disturbed for 20 long years, became peaceful.

Mixed Response To Budget in Northeast India

Guwahati, Feb 28 : The budget for 2011-12 has evoked mixed response in the northeast, with industry captains and Assam's ruling Congress party terming it balanced, while the opposition described it as directionless.

The notable highlight in the budget for the northeast has been a 100 percent jump in the allocation for special assistance to Rs 8,000 crore for 2011-12. Out of this, Rs 5,400 crore has been allocated as Special Central Assistance.

'I would say this is a reformist and mature budget by a mature finance minister aimed at addressing various issues like tax reforms to infrastructure and also the social sector as well,' R.S. Joshi, president of the Federation of Industries and Commerce of Northeastern Region (FINER), the apex trade administration body of the region, said.

'This is a budget for the people and the special assistance of Rs.8,000 would go a long way in improving infrastructure facilities in the region,' said Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

'This is a pro-people budget and we hope the provisions, especially in areas like education, health, social sector and infrastructure would go a long way in the overall development of the country,' said Pawan Singh Ghatowar, Congress MP from Assam.

The opposition thought otherwise.

'This is nothing but a budget that is directionless, with no steps taken to curb price rise and growing inflation. There is nothing for the northeast and Assam as well in the budget,' said Ramen Deka, BJP MP from Assam.

'The people of Assam and the northeast got a raw deal from this budget. The people of the northeast got nothing from this budget,' said Biren Baishya, MP of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) said.

Union Budget 2011-12: Highlights

Key proposals made by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in his Budget speech in Parliament

Union Budget 2011-12

• Pranab Mukherjee arrives in Parliament; Cabinet to approve budget before day's session begins
• Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee begins presenting the Union Budget 2011-12 speech
• FM hints at inclusive growth, indicates double-digit growth in the near future
• Pranab Mukherjee: Food inflation declined in the last year but remains a concern
• Pranab Mukherjee: Reaching the end of a remarkable fiscal year
• Pranab Mukherjee: India has returned to pre-crisis growth trajectory
• Rural economic growth helped India avoid the quagmire of a global meltdown
• The implementation gaps in the PDS is a big challenge
• All sectors show growth, service sectors growing in double digits
• Consumers denied price falls during seasonal changes
• GDP estimates grew at 8.6% in 2010; 9.6 pct in services, 5.2 % in agriculture sector
• Corruption is a problem to be fought collectively
• Weakening governance is an impression that is misplaced
• Exports grew 29 percent, imports by 17.6 percent
• FM wants RBI to make more interventions to curtail inflation
• Wholesale-retail price imbalance unacceptable. Need to improve the distribution system of food and agriculture
• GST network to be spruced up further
• Industrial growth seen at 11% in 2011-12
• GDP to grow 9% in FY 2011-12with outside band of 0.1% to 0.2%
• New bill to initiate GST, both at central and state levels
• General Sales Tax (GST) to be simplified
• Public Debt Management Institute of India to be set up soon
• Disinvestment momentum to be maintained; target set to 40,000 crores
• Implement strong IT infrastructure across states for GST
• FDI policy liberalisation being looked into

• 36.4% of total budget outlay to be allocated for social sector development
• Finance Ministry to take up study to assess the incidence of money laundering and suggest corrective measures
• Government joins global forums and 11 tax information agreements to stop money laundering
• Government puts into operation a five-fold strategy to control black money
• Metro projects in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai to receive more funds in 2011-12
• National Mission of Hybrid Transportation to be created to bolster green transportation
• Ministerial group to study existing mining laws and suggest changes
• Manufacturing sector growth to account for 20% of GDP in next 10 years; up from 15% now
• Tax-free bonds of Rs 30,000 crore for developing infrastructure in railways, roads, etc.
• Comprehensive policy to develop public-private participation in infrastructure development
• Cold storage to be recognised as an infrastructure sector
• 150 lakh mT of storage capacity for food items being created under Rural Godown scheme
• FM proposes 15 more food parks
• Direct Tax Code to be implemented from April 1, 2012
• Agricultural credit to farmers to grow from Rs 3,75,000 crore to Rs 4,75,000 crore
• Vegetable initiative to set in motion a virtual cycle of production and distribution
• Oilseed production to go up in 2010-11 as against 2009-10; 100,000 hectares added to oilseed farming
• Outlay of Rs 500 crore to increase agriculture productivity
• Green revolution in eastern region to be given a fillip with additional allocation to bolster paddy growth
• FM announces Women's Self-help Group Development Fund of Rs 500 crore
• India Micro-finance Equity Fund of Rs 100 crore proposed
• FM proposes removal of bottlenecks in supply of essential food items
• Capital infusion into PSU banks; Rs 20,000 crore proposed
• Slew of bills to make the financial sector more open in 2011-12
• Direct transfer of subsidy on kerosene to the poor; Task force headed by Nandan Nilekani working on modalities
• Cash subsidies for fertiliser, kerosene
• Government will retain 51% control over central PSUs
• FII limit in infrastructure bonds to be increased to US $40 billion

• Direct Tax exemption limit raised from Rs 1.6 lakh to Rs 1.8 lakh for individuals
• Senior citizens: Reduction in qualifying age to 60 years from 65; exemption limit at Rs 2.5 lakh
• New tax slab for senior citizens above 80 years; exemption limit at Rs 5 lakh
• Revenue Deficit is 3.4% of GDP as against target of 4.1%
• Fiscal Deficit targeted at 4.6% for FY12
• Fiscal Deficit reduced from 5.5% to 5.1% in FY11
• Eleventh plan expenditure in nominal terms is the highest so far in India's planned development
• GoM to study issues relating to corruption like state-funding of elections, discretionary quotas of ministers, etc
• Eleventh plan expenditure in nominal terms is the highest so far in India's planned development
• GoM to study issues relating to corruption like state-funding of elections, discretionary quotas of ministers, etc
• Gove to launch new scheme to modernise stamp duty administration across all states
• FM lists a slew of online systems to bring transparency
• Government keen to make tax filing and refunds an online process
• 10 lakh Aadhar (UID) cards per day from September 2011
• Rs 3,000 crore provided for enhancing judicial infrastructure including e-courts
• FM allocates Rs 23,000 crore for literacy mission
• Allocation to Backward Region Grant Fund increased from Rs 7,300 crore to Rs 9,890 crore
• Rs 1,64,415 crore allocated in budget outlay for defence
• Additional funds of Rs 500 crore announced for Ladakh and Jammu
• FM allocates additional funds worth Rs 8000 crore for J&K development programs
• FM allocates Rs 600 crore for various environmental schemes in 2011-12
• Old age pension in BPL category: Beneficiaries age lowered to 60 years from 65 years
• Scheme to help banks operate across 70,000 villages in 2 years
• Rs 1 crore global award in memory of Rabindranath Tagore announced
• National Knowledge Network: 1,500 colleges of higher education will be linked via cables by 2012
• Rs 2 lakh crore from National Clean Energy Fund allocated for Green India Mission
• FIIs allowed to invest in Mutual Funds
• Food Security Bill to be introduced this year
• Total allocation for Education: Rs 52,057 crore
• Rs 58,000 crore allocated to Bharat Nirman
• To index NREGA wage rate to consumer price index
• Renumeration for Anganwadi helpers increased from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500
• Renumeration for Anganwadi workers raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000
• Rural broadband connectivity to all 2.5 lakh villages in 3 years

• Fertiliser companies to get investment-linked tax deductions
• Notified infrastructure debt funds proposed
• Fiscal Deficit in FY12 pegged at Rs 4.12 lakh crore
• Special Economic Zones to come under MAT
• Service Tax retained at 10%
• Investment-linked tax deduction proposed in fertiliser and housing sectors
• Foreign dividend tax rate cut to 15% for Indian companies
• Corporate surcharge reduced from 7.5% to 5%
• Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) raised from 18% to 18.5%
• No resource mobilisation made through fresh taxation
• Propose a public debate on GST; relevant documents to be shared soon
• Tax surcharge for companies to be cut from 7.5% to 5%
• Air-conditioning equipment for cold storages exempt from excise
• Base excise duty up to 5%
• Customs peak rates to be retained
• 20% ad valorem export duty on iron ore
• Customs duty on yarn reduced from 7.5% to 5%
• Proposal to align customs duty with that of ASEAN countries
• 1 percent Central Excise levied on 100 new items in the CENVAT list
• FM to not roll back standard rate of excise duty and maintain it at 10%
• Additional deduction of Rs 20,000 for long-term infrastructure investment to continue for another year
• All small tax payers and small business owners with revenue of upto Rs 60 lakh exempt from audit
• New services in tax net: Hotels charging over Rs 1,000 per day as room rent, Air-conditioned restaurantsserving liquor, Hospitals with central air-conditioning, Diagnostics services outside hospitals, Life insuranceservices
• Customs duty on raw steel reduced
• Excise duty rates rationalised for cement industry
• Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee ends his presentation in Parliament

Mizoram Postmaster Fleeing to Myanmar With Rural Job Fund Held

Aizawl, Feb 28 : Mizoram Police arrested a postmaster who was fleeing to neighbouring Myanmar with Rs.13.50 lakh meant to be disbursed for work under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), police said here Monday.

The money was deposited with Lalrodinga, 36, a postmaster at Vaphai branch Post Office in eastern Mizoram, by the rural development department for subsequent disbursement among the MGNREGS workers.

'Lalrodinga Sunday took the money from the post office locker and went to his estranged wife in a nearby village and gave her Rs.4 lakh for looking after their children,' a police official told reporters.

'Then he tried to cross the India-Myanmar border with the remaining amount before the police arrested him at the Zokhawmawi village along the border,' he added.

Police recovered Rs.9.50 lakh from Lalrodinga and the Rs.4 lakh he gave to his ex-wife.

'The postmaster has confessed to police that he planned to go to Myanmar and exchange the money (Indian currency) with Myanmar's Kyats and hide it there,' the official said.

The mountainous Mizoram has international border of 404 km with Myanmar and 318 km with Bangladesh.

Pre-Paid Power Supply in Manipur From April

By Sobhapati Samom
 
Maphou Dam site (Manipur), Feb 28 : Manipur is set to introduce ‘pre-paid’ power supply mechanism to control power theft in April next in the State.

Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh informed the new measure to check power theft to news reporters after inspecting Thoubal multi-purpose project in the adjoining areas of Ukhrul, Senapati, Thoubal and Imphal East districts, 45 km north east of Manipur today.

He also informed that decades-old Thoubal project will be completed before December this year, three months ahead of its completion target as 75-80 per cent of the construction works are completed.

“We will be introducing pre-paid power supply system within April this year”, Ibobi said adding “Necessary steps are on to meet the target”.

Checking theft of power becomes all the more imperative as the State has a shortfall of 35 MW to 40 MW in its peak hour requirement of which 60 per cent of the supply was consumed in city areas.

The pre-paid power supply based on commensurate billing will be started in Imphal City in the first phase for which laying of underground power cables is still underway in parts of the city.

Preparing ahead, Manipur had recently upgraded the 132 KV Yurembam power supply transmission station near Imphal to 400 KV with the capacity of carrying 1000 MW. Besides Chief Engineer N Sarat led State Power department had been undertaking a strong drive against power thefts which accounts for about 70 per cent of power loss in Manipur since last month. Power theft is a cognisable and non-bailable offense under the Electricity Act, 2003, and two session judges have also been appointed to deal with cases related to power at the Special Court (Electricity), he added.

“The present condition of power supply can be improved when the percentage of power loss comes down to about 40 per cent”, the officer said. There is overdue electricity bill of Rs 280 crores to be collected from the regular consumers.

The State hopes that once the three projects – 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri (Arunachal Pradesh,W Bongaigaon (Assam) and Palatana (Tripura) – are commissioned in March 2011, its power woes would be minimised.

Manipur Teachers On Strike Over Salary Hike Demand

Imphal, Feb 27 : Teachers in Manipur are on strike over a demand for a hike in their salaries.

The teachers who have gathered under the banner of the Federation of College Teachers Associations of Manipur (FECTAM) called for a review of the cabinet decision of November 4, 2010.

FECTAM President L. Randhoni Devi said teachers both experienced and new, were being paid very low salaries.

The teachers have also gathered under the banner of the Council of Teachers’ Association and (COTA) suspended classes over a demand for implementation of recommendations made by the Sixth Central Pay Commission.

Agitating teachers in the state have launched a relay hunger strike since January.

School activity and student academics have been adversely affected as a result.

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