Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said the pace of development in the ethnic strife-hit state had slowed over the past one-and-a-half years and appealed to people for the recovery of lost time now that the situation is gradually improving.
Addressing a press conference at the launch of cleanliness drive Swachhata Hi Seva, Singh said, “This slowdown is unfortunate. Now that the situation has improved, we should not only focus on solving the existing problems related to the ethnic crisis, but also prioritise development. We must recover the lost time.” He noted that development in areas such as startups, self-sustainability, MSMEs, business support schemes, sports, education, and agriculture had slowed due to recent disturbances.
Singh emphasised the need to focus on economic revival, particularly in agriculture, food processing, horticulture, and handloom sectors, to regain the earlier pace of development.
He expressed confidence that a resolution to the crisis will come, with both the government and the public working towards it.
Singh also highlighted the state’s focus on constructing concrete roads in Imphal, which he said would prevent road damage from annual rains. “Savings from this project will be redirected to rural and hill areas. Proposals are also underway for cement roads in district headquarters in the hills,” he added.
He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for approving the opening of 16 new Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar canteens in the state.
“Earlier, there were 21 canteens accessible to the public. Now, 16 more have been approved, eight in the valley and eight in the hills. I appreciate Modi, Shah, and the relevant central government officials for this initiative to provide essential commodities to the common people at cheaper rates,” he said.
He underscored the role of media, stating, “Media has a constructive role to play. For instance, if protests become violent, live coverage should be stopped, and defamatory or inciting statements should be curtailed. Unfortunately, such measures are not always taken.” Conveying his warm wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday, Singh said Swachhata Hi Seva cleanliness drive, which commenced today, will continue until October 2.
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