IMPHAL, Dec 23 ? Manipur Assembly unanimously passed the Kangla Fort Bill 2004 to replace the Kangla Fort Ordinance, which was passed last month for the maintenance and control of the historic Kangla fort, the sheath of the Manipur culture which was handed over by the Prime Minister to the people of the state on November 20.
The Kangla Fort Bill 2004 has the same provisions as the Kangla Fort Ordinance 2004, which provided for establishment of a Kangla Fort Board to administer and control the Kangla fort. The provision prohibiting the alienation of any land or structure within the area of the Kangla to any person is also reproduced verbatim in the Kangla Fort Bill.
Piloting the Bill through the House, the Art and Culture Minister, Ph Parijat observed that the demand for handing over the Kangla to the people of Manipur was a very longstanding own and favoured inclusion of experts on the Kangla Board, stressing the need for maintaining transparency in all aspects concerning the Kangla fort. The minister also observed that over 10,000 people are visiting Kangla every day, and said the government would be able to earn income by charging entry fee.
Opposition MLAs O Joy Singh, L Ibomcha, Dr. Nimaichand Luwang, I Hemochandra, M Bharat, among others, participating in the discussion, welcomed the formation the board, but favoured changes in its composition so as to enable it to function effectively in the event that there is no elected government in the state. They stressed the need to prevent diversion or misutilisation of funds meant for the board, and urged that the administrative reports of the board should be tabled in the Assembly.
The Department of Art and Culture, Manipur Government constituted a ten-member body called the ?The Kangla Fort Board?. The members includes the Chief Minister (president) Minister in charge of Arts and Culture (vice-president), leader of the Opposition in the Manipur state legislative Assembly, three members of Manipur Legislative Assembly (member), chief secretary to the Government of Manipur (member), among others.