Nipamacha defends action plan

IMPHAL, January 7: Manipur chief minister W. Nipamacha Singh has said the 12-point action plan which he submitted to Union home minister L.K. Advani yesterday would be soon placed before the state Cabinet for approval. Addressing a news conference here today after his return from the national capital, Nipamacha Singh said his meeting with Advani was cordial. The home minister has assured him all help to tackle insurgency and improve administration in the state, he added. The action plan has drawn flak from senior members of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP) which the chief minister heads. Nipamacha Singh clarified that the action plan submitted to Advani needed a Cabinet approval as it involved policy matters. He said the plan was evolved after discussions with home ministry officials. Asked about criticism of the document from his own party, Nipamacha Singh said such complaints would be dealt with at the party forum. Sources said the action plan has not gone down well with Union minister from Manipur Thounaojam Chaoba Singh. Chaoba Singh, also the MSCP working president, is an arch-rival of Nipamacha. Chaoba Singh termed Nipamacha's signing of the action plan with the home ministry as a sell-out of the state's powers to the Centre. The chief minister, however, denied that his government had signed any proposal. "This is an action plan submitted by our chief minister. We have not signed the document. These are the points which we told Advani we are preparing to take up," deputy chief minister L. Chandramani Singh said. The plan was submitted to the home minister with a covering letter saying the state government would inform the Cabinet decision within 15 says. Asked whether the action plan constituted direct interference of the Centre in the state's affairs, the chief minister and his deputy said it depended on what interpretation individuals gave it. "For us, it is not an interference. We talked to the home minister as there were certain points involving the central government."