Modified Tipaimukh dam MoU draft submitted to Manipur

Imphal, June 12: The modified' MoU draft of Tipaimukh Dam has been handed over to the State Government for further examination. This was announced by Planning Advisor of North Eastern Council (NEC) PL Thanga to a group of reporters at Hotel Pinewood, Shillong recently. It may be recalled here that PL Thanga IAS was earlier the Additional Chief Secretary before he was sent on deputation to the NEC. Earlier, the PR Government under Ved Marwah had submitted a MoU draft on the Tipaimukh Dam to the Centre. The Centre after a thorough perusal recommended some modifications in it. The modified MoU is being sent back to the State for feedback. An extensive surveillance has also been conducted on the project. PL Thanga revealed that the 10th Plan of the NEC will be finalized on June 27 and it will include several ambitious projects for Manipur. "All the projects will be one-time sanctioned ones and NEC will closely monitor the projects to leave no room for misuse," he stressed. When asked why the projects will be sanctioned at one go, Thanga pointed out that projects sanctioned on installment basis take more time to complete thereby incurring wasteful expenditure. "This time, the onus will fall on the respective State Governments to ensure that the projects are finished within the time and budget," he noted. Admitting that the State Government have failed to construct roads within the given time of two years under the 8th Plan, Thanga revealed that strict instructions have been issued to finish the projects. "Among the seven North Eastern States, Manipur has the worst roads," he noted adding the contract agreement between a State and NEC has been amended to include clauses for pulling up States which fail to utilize the funds. Pointing out that the main problems besieging RIMS which is funded by NEC are bad drainage system, irregular water and power supply among others, Thanga assured that the problems will be looked into. Answering to a query, he announced that NEC is conducting an enquiry to the allegations of doctors of RIMS running their own private clinics or nursing homes. NEC's 10th Plan for the State include construction of a second runway at Imphal Airport arid a proposal of Rs 36 crs for preservation of Loktak Lake, he mentioned. The Planning Advisor said that NEC has sanctioned Rs 19 crores for constructing and developing the Tamenglong-Halflong road. "But I have not seen any work. The road is not fit even for a jeep," he lamented. Elaborating on the 10th Plan, Thanga stated that it also has provisions for generating employment. "If the plans and projects are utilized then it will generate employment for at least 20,000 youths in NE," he stated adding that NEC will meet the Chief Ministers of NE on July 19 and 20 to chalk out plans.