Manipur govt forms resource body

IMPHAL, April 27: Admitting that the state government has been virtually reduced to the status of a beggar and has no other alternative but to drastically curtail development works due to the present financial crisis, the Chief minister Radhabinod Koijam today announced that the Government has constituted a resource mobilization committee. Speaking to reporters today after inspecting the Kangchup water supply scheme, which is being taken up with the assistance from French Government with Law and Public Health Engineering Minister O Joy Singh, the Chief Minister said that the resource mobilization committee will work towards maintaining financial discipline and seeking additional source of revenues. He said that the Law minister is heading the committee which will be holding its first meeting tomorrow. On the mode of mobilization, Koijam said the Government will look into the feasibility of reviving MSRTC, MANIDCO, MANITRON and the Loitang Khunou Spinning Mills. Steps will be taken up to abolish sick units and privatize some others, he added. He said that the Government will review the matter of lifting the ban on sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor which the previous Government had started discussions. However, the likely fallout of the society of such a step will be deliberated in detail with different section of people including women organisations. He, however, mentioned that the State had been incurring a loss of around 30 crore annually since prohibition was imposed. On the controversial Online Lottery in which the Chief Minister is accused of giving the rights to a particular firm for just Rs 3 crore without holding tender, Koijam clarified that the allegation were false and baseless and added that the firm will hold the lottery by investing Rs 90 crore for setting up a centre in Imphal. Koijam also said that the committee will look into the manner of levying taxes on commodities imported from other countries through Moreh. The Chief Minister expressed hope that the city will get enough drinking water once the Kangchup scheme is completed. Joy said the government plans to open the plant by July 9 next.