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The Lamka Times

Monday, June 28, 2010

Elected members take oath; Ibobi pledges power to ADC

Manipur chief minister O Ibobi Singh felicitating an elected District Council member in Imphal, Manipur on Saturday, June 26 at Khuman Lampak stadium. (NNN Photo)
 
Imphal, June 26 (NNN): The government of Manipur today pledged to give power to the District Councils of Manipur as much possible as it can.  Manipur chief minister O Ibobi Singh said that there are many facilities and enormous power the elected District Council members will enjoy.
O Ibobi Singh also expressed happiness over the "successful" conducting of District Council polls in Manipur hills and pledged to take on the development in hill areas.  "People inhabiting the hills cannot remain deprived of the democratic rights and developmental programmes," Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh told a gathering at the swearing-in ceremony of the 156 members of the six Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) at Khuman Lampak indoor stadium on Saturday.  It is pertinent to note that altogether 144 members have got elected while 12 members are being nominated with two members each from six District Councils.
24 members have been elected from each District Council. O. Ibobi Singh pointed out that there had been a disparity of development between the hills and the valley as elections to the District Councils could not be held for a long time.
He said, "Despite sincere efforts by the government, the Autonomous District Council elections could not be held for a long time. But this time round, we managed to conduct the polls successfully despite threats, intimidations and other problems".
The chief minister said that now that the polls were held, developmental schemes will be implemented in a better way at the grassroots level.  "One must not construe the Autonomous District Councils (ADC) elections as an attempt by the state government to go against any tribe or organization. It was to bring development to the hills. After all, there has to be equal distribution of development," the chief minister said.  Elections to the District Councils under the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (3rd Amendment) Act, 2008 were held much to the chagrin of the Naga frontal organisations.
The United Naga Council (UNC) and its federating units have been opposing to the elections of the District Councils under the 3rd Amendment of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council Act, 2008 saying that it deprives the tribal peoples' rights.  In protest against the elections under the same Act, the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) had called 68 days of blockade on the two national highways in Manipur sector which was suspended on June 18.
Meanwhile, large number of tribal people in colourful attires participated Saturday's swearing-in ceremony of the elected members of the District Councils.  A song entitled 'Hingmin Nasi Eikhoi" or Let us co-exist together enthralled the gathering at Khuman Lampak stadium where artists representing the different communities viz, Meeiteis, Nagas and Kukis sang the song in eight language/dialects of the state.
Six deputy commisioners carried out the oath taking to their respective District Council members at the programme.  A grand feast was organised by the state government after the programme.

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