Manipur Congress demands utilisation of 5-10 per cent of budget in addressing problems driven by present crisis

Condemning the state government for not taking appropriate measures to address the suffering of affected victims of the present crisis, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) suggested utilising 5-10 per cent of the state budget in solving problems created by recent conflict.

Briefing media person at Congress Bhawan on May 23, the working president of MPCC, Khumanthem Devabrata said that due to recent tension erupted in Manipur, nearly 40,000 people which is around 1.2 per cent of the total population of Manipur are directly affected. They are taking shelter in various relief camps. 

People staying in camps are having uncomfortable life due to the absence of many basic requirements. They had become homeless and going to stay in camp for longer periods. As such there is a need to formulate specific policy to address grievances of such directly affected victims of crisis, he added.

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He further said that the state government should convene a special session of the Manipur Legislative to thoroughly discuss the present crisis and chart out plans for affected victims. Considering the situation, it is high time to think about utilizing 5-10 per cent of the total budget of the state in dealing with the problem of affected victims.

While mentioning providing ex-gratia to boat capsized victims of Kerala by the central government, he questioned why the can't central government give ex-gratia to people who had lost the recent communal crisis in Manipur. The state government and central government should focus on giving support to those bereaved families at the earliest.

He alleged that as many as three camps are being opened by militants from Myanmar at the border town of Manipur called Moreh. The authority concerned should take this matter seriously otherwise internal affairs of the country will intervene by illegal people.

He also condemned the state government for not being able to lift the road blockage of National Highway 2 which has been banned for nearly 20 days. "There are hardly 10,000 miscreants in the Kangpokpi area of National Highway 2. Why can't the authority concerned control them when a large number of central forces are being deployed in Manipur," he questioned.