Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on Wednesday and discussed various issues related to Manipur. According to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Shah assured him that the Centre would take all possible steps to fulfil the wishes and aspirations of the people of Manipur.
Shah has agreed to visit Manipur in the first week of October. During the visit, he will lay the foundation stone for the proposed new medical college in Senapati district and review other development projects underway in the state.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh presented various issues concerning Manipur to Amit Shah during the meeting. The Chief Minister’s Secretariat said Shah heard the issues in detail and assured cooperation from the Centre.
The meeting took place as efforts are being made to restore normalcy, strengthen connectivity and advance development projects in Manipur. Details of all the issues discussed during the meeting have not been made public.
Khemchand said Amit Shah will visit Manipur in the first week of October. During the visit, Shah will lay the foundation stone for the proposed medical college in Senapati district and review other development projects.
According to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, the state Cabinet had recently approved the establishment of the medical college. The institution will be established in Senapati district, which has a large Naga population.
The proposed medical college in Senapati is a project related to the expansion of health and medical education facilities in the state. Khemchand said Shah has agreed to lay the foundation stone for the project.
The project is currently at an initial stage, and the construction process will proceed after the foundation stone is laid.
During the meeting, Shah also appreciated the resumption of the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service. The state government restarted the interstate public transport service on August 21 after an interval of nearly three years.
According to government and local reports, 125 passengers travelled on the route on the first day using two buses and five Winger vehicles. The buses travelled through sensitive areas such as Kangpokpi and Senapati before reaching Guwahati via Nagaland.
Public transport on the route continued in the following days after the service was restored.
Shah also appreciated the state government’s efforts to restore free movement of people on National Highway-2. NH-2 connects Manipur with Nagaland and further with Assam.
Normal movement on the route had been affected by the ethnic conflict in the state. The restoration of bus services and movement along the highway has been part of efforts to resume transportation and economic activity.
On August 21, 125 passengers travelled from Imphal to Guwahati when the bus service resumed.
During his October visit, Shah will also review other development projects in Manipur. The Chief Minister said the Centre would provide all possible support to the state in development-related areas.
Health, transportation and infrastructure projects are among the areas being pursued by the state government. The foundation stone for the medical college and the review of development projects will form part of the October visit.
A detailed list of the projects to be reviewed has not been made public.
Violence in Manipur over the past few years has affected social, economic and transportation systems in the state. Restoring normal life remains a challenge for the state government.
The restoration of the bus service and efforts to facilitate free movement on NH-2 are among the steps being taken in this direction. Public transport and inter-district connectivity are being gradually restored.
The meeting between the Chief Minister and the Home Minister took place amid discussions on various political and social issues in Manipur. According to reports, organisations and leaders have also been active on issues related to the NRC, census and delimitation. However, the official details of the meeting did not provide a detailed account of these subjects.
The Centre’s assurance to work towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people and its focus on development projects were part of the discussions between the state and central leadership.
Shah’s proposed October visit will include the foundation stone ceremony for the Senapati medical college and a review of development projects in the state.
The visit will also take place after the recent restoration of public transport services on the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati route and efforts to restore movement on NH-2.
The meeting between Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Amit Shah comes as the Centre and Manipur government continue discussions on development and efforts to restore normalcy in the state.
