‘Miles to go before I sleep’–Challenges and opportunities for the new CM of Manipur
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Brigadier (Retired) L Ibotombi Singh
Contd from previous issue
(g) Opening of Highways
Because of continuing mistrust and animosity between the Zo-Kuki and Meitei communities, people of these two communities cannot travel through the National and State Highways, thus are confined in their comfort zones. Therefore, the priority is to open the two National Highways i.e. 2 and 37, make them safe for travel by all the communities of Manipur, and equally important is to repair and upgrade these two arteries making all weather roads without disruptions and blockade.
(h) Creation of Think Tank Domain Experts
Explore and create an Apex State Think Tank with representatives from all ethnic Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), senior retired officers (bureaucrats, police as well as military) to advise on equitable development.
Economic and Infrastructure Works
Some recommended focus areas in the field of Economic and Infrastructure Works are
(a) Connectivity Projects : Accelerating the progress of five National Highway projects valued at over Rs 2,500 crore to improve regional logistics. There is a need to establish a safe, secured, reliable and all-weather National Highway to Imphal, the State Capital. The present 220.7 km long National Highway 37, connecting from Imphal to Jiribam, is a better choice as the alignment runs entirely through Manipur. As economic embargo or blockade prevents supply of life saving medicines and essential commodities, it violates Article 21, protection of Life and Personal Liberty of citizens, the soul of Fundamental Rights of Indian Constitution, therefore, the State must enact laws to make such offences non-bailable.
(b) Urban Infrastructure: Overseeing the Manipur Urban Roads and drainage projects, which have a combined budget exceeding Rs 3,600 crore.
(c) Sectoral Growth: Focusing on priority sectors identified by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), including handloom and handicrafts, tourism, and palm oil cultivation.
(d) Digital and Social Welfare: Implementing the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project and completing working women’s hostels at nine different locations.
Social and Health Initiatives
Because of the violence, Manipur has suffered immensely in the field of social and health services.
Some recommendations are:
(a) Environmental Resilience: Integrating AI and LoV-IoT for air and water quality monitoring, and focusing on biodiversity conservation.
(b) Public Health Coverage : Expanding the Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT), which provides up to Rs 2 lakh in cashless treatment for eligible families.
(c) Ongoing Law Enforcement : Continuing the ‘War on Drugs’ through the destruction of illegal poppy plantations and curbing illicit opium cultivation.
In conclusion a stable Manipur will depend on steady public safety, fair justice, and a serious effort to repair relationships across communities. Progress may be slow, yet consistent protection of rights and equal treatment under the law by optimum and synergised utilization of mammoth size security forces present in Manipur, can create the basic conditions needed for peace to hold. Though the recommended measures highlighted above are large, the new CM with his think tank team need to identify the core issues like restoration of law and order, early resettlement of IDPs, opening of highways for all communities and at the same time, issues like NRC vs Census can be kept at the backburner for the time being. By achieving some reasonable percentage of the core issues, he will be exploiting the above enumerated challenges into opportunities.
Contd from previous issue
(g) Opening of Highways
Because of continuing mistrust and animosity between the Zo-Kuki and Meitei communities, people of these two communities cannot travel through the National and State Highways, thus are confined in their comfort zones. Therefore, the priority is to open the two National Highways i.e. 2 and 37, make them safe for travel by all the communities of Manipur, and equally important is to repair and upgrade these two arteries making all weather roads without disruptions and blockade.
(h) Creation of Think Tank Domain Experts
Explore and create an Apex State Think Tank with representatives from all ethnic Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), senior retired officers (bureaucrats, police as well as military) to advise on equitable development.
Economic and Infrastructure Works
Some recommended focus areas in the field of Economic and Infrastructure Works are
(a) Connectivity Projects : Accelerating the progress of five National Highway projects valued at over Rs 2,500 crore to improve regional logistics. There is a need to establish a safe, secured, reliable and all-weather National Highway to Imphal, the State Capital. The present 220.7 km long National Highway 37, connecting from Imphal to Jiribam, is a better choice as the alignment runs entirely through Manipur. As economic embargo or blockade prevents supply of life saving medicines and essential commodities, it violates Article 21, protection of Life and Personal Liberty of citizens, the soul of Fundamental Rights of Indian Constitution, therefore, the State must enact laws to make such offences non-bailable.
(b) Urban Infrastructure: Overseeing the Manipur Urban Roads and drainage projects, which have a combined budget exceeding Rs 3,600 crore.
(c) Sectoral Growth: Focusing on priority sectors identified by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), including handloom and handicrafts, tourism, and palm oil cultivation.
(d) Digital and Social Welfare: Implementing the Manipur Infotech Development (MIND) project and completing working women’s hostels at nine different locations.
Social and Health Initiatives
Because of the violence, Manipur has suffered immensely in the field of social and health services.
Some recommendations are:
(a) Environmental Resilience: Integrating AI and LoV-IoT for air and water quality monitoring, and focusing on biodiversity conservation.
(b) Public Health Coverage : Expanding the Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang (CMHT), which provides up to Rs 2 lakh in cashless treatment for eligible families.
(c) Ongoing Law Enforcement : Continuing the ‘War on Drugs’ through the destruction of illegal poppy plantations and curbing illicit opium cultivation.
In conclusion a stable Manipur will depend on steady public safety, fair justice, and a serious effort to repair relationships across communities. Progress may be slow, yet consistent protection of rights and equal treatment under the law by optimum and synergised utilization of mammoth size security forces present in Manipur, can create the basic conditions needed for peace to hold. Though the recommended measures highlighted above are large, the new CM with his think tank team need to identify the core issues like restoration of law and order, early resettlement of IDPs, opening of highways for all communities and at the same time, issues like NRC vs Census can be kept at the backburner for the time being. By achieving some reasonable percentage of the core issues, he will be exploiting the above enumerated challenges into opportunities.