296 rural roads damaged in Manipur floods

As many as 296 rural roads were damaged in the floods that devastated Manipur last month, the state's Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Francis Ngajokpa said here on Wednesday.

Ngajokpa met union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju here and apprised him of the extensive damage caused in the state by floods, especially to roads, bridges and standing crops and other properties in both the hills and valley of Manipur.

He said the damage due to landslides, sinking, submersion and erosion was very extensive, an official statement said.

As many as 296 Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) roads and bridges covering a total length of 479.95 km were washed away and unless these were reconstructed or repaired immediately, villagers in remote areas would remain disconnected, Ngajokpa told Rijiju.

The state minister requested Rijiju to depute an inter-ministerial team to assess the gravity of damage.

He also referred to Rijiju's visit with union Minister of State for Development of the Northeastern Region (DoNER) Jitendra Singh to the flood-affected areas of Manipur.

Rijiju assured the Manipur minister that as soon as a proposal from the state government was received, an inter-ministerial team would be sent to Manipur to assess the damage.

Meanwhile, Rijiju also spoke to Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh regarding the importance of the comprehensive assessment by the inter-ministerial team so that necessary central assistance could be provided to the state government, the statement said.

Ngajokpa also met union Minister for Rural Development Chaudhary Birender Singh on Tuesday and apprised him of the situation.

Since there was no fund for repairing of the PMGSY roads, Birender Singh suggested that the union home ministry be approached for repairing the roads and bridges under its National Disaster Management Scheme.

Ngajokpa requested Birender Singh to enhance the fund for Manipur for development of PMGSY roads.

Birender Singh assured Ngajokpa that sufficient funds for PMGSY schemes in Manipur would be provided.