State govt proposes central takeover of RIMS

IMPHAL, August 3: The state finance minister, H Lokhon Singh, told The Imphal Free Press this evening over the phone from New Delhi that he was presented a proposal for a complete Central government takeover of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, RIMS, to the Union Health and Water resources minister, PK Thakur. Lokhon met the Health minister at his office chamber and informed him of the state government's desire of a Central takeover of the RIMS on the plea that that the state's resources are poor and it is finding it difficult to meet its share of the institute's running cost. The RIMS is already 50 percent funded by the Centre through the Northeastern Council, NEC, and the remaining 50 percent of the running cost is met by the state, as per existing arrangement. Lokhon said the minister was accommodative to the state government's viewpoint and informed him that the matter can be considered after the state government submits an official proposal. The finance minister said that the state government will be at the soonest possible submitting a detailed formal proposal to this effect to the Union Health Ministry. PK Thakur, who is also in charge of water resources, was concerned by the inordinate delay in the completion of the Khuga Multipurpose Project in Churachandpur district even after 20 years of its sanctioning by the Finance Commission in 1980, Lokhon said. The Union minister told him that he would be making plans to personally visit the state after the current Parliament Session and oversee the progress in the Khuga project, the finance minister added.