The Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), Council Headquarters, submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Lok Bhavan, Imphal, urging him not to award/assign the portfolio of Minister-in-Charge of the Minor Irrigation Department to the Chief Minister and instead award/assign it to a member of the Council of Ministers when a popular government is formed in the State. According to a press release of TYCM, it is a well-known that in previous governments, both during the Congress and the BJP regimes, the portfolio of Minister-in-Charge of the Minor Irrigation Department was held by the Chief Minister. During those periods, the programmers and developmental works undertaken by the Minor Irrigation Department did not adequately reach the tribal and hill areas. This was primarily due to the lack of direct engagement with the tribal people, insufficient understanding of their grievances, limited field interaction, and lack of transparency.
It said that over the past many years, the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), the Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) through NABARD, and other projects undertaken by the Minor Irrigation Department have not been seen to be properly implemented in the hill areas of Manipur. It said that owing to the heavy responsibilities and busy schedule of the Chief Minister, tribal people from remote and far-flung areas could not meet the Chief Minister regularly or as required. Consequently, the tribal people have no opportunity to place their genuine needs and issues relating to Minor Irrigation programmes and works before the Chief Minister, it added.
If the portfolio of Minister-in-Charge of the Minor Irrigation Department is awarded/assigned to a member of the Council of Ministers, it would ensure better accessibility, regular meets and interactions, and effective communication with the tribal communities. This would enable the proper identification of their needs and facilitate the successful implementation of Minor Irrigation schemes, thereby bringing much-needed development to the hill areas of Manipur, TYCM said.
