Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit to Manipur during which he will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of several projects in the northeastern state. Shah was received at the airport here by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education R K Ranjan and senior government and police officers. Shah will inaugurate the Churachandpur Medical College, the first medical college in the state on Friday. He will unveil the 120 feet statue of a polo player riding a pony being developed at Heingang Marjing Hill in Imphal East district. The Home minister will hoist the national flag at Heritage site of INA headquarters in Moirang area in Bishnupur district. Moirang village is where INA soldiers during the fag end of World War II hoisted the tri colour for the first time on Indian soil. Shah is also scheduled to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of various other projects at Chingei Lampak area in Bishnup
The Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into what it alleged was a Rs 1,700 crore Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana "scam" in Manipur and demanded strong action against ministers involved in graft. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Manipur Congress chief K Meghachandra said the PMGSY "road scam" in Manipur is still being unearthed by a Congress team under his leadership and they, along with the media, have been visiting interior parts of the hills for the last few months in districts such as Churachandpur, Noney and Kamjong. He alleged that after inspecting several roads, it was found that no work had been done despite allocation of funds and completion of their work already recorded. Under the BJP's glorified double-engine government in Manipur, Rs 1,700 crore intended for PMGSY has been siphoned off, Manipur Congress spokesperson Ningombam Bupenda Meitei alleged at a press conference here. AICC in-charge of the state Bhakta Charan Das alleged that the funds have
Voting began on Monday in the by-election to six assembly constituencies in five states and the Mainpuri parliamentary seat in Uttar Pradesh. Rampur Sadar and Khatauli in Uttar Pradesh, Padampur in Odisha, Sardarshahar in Rajasthan, Kurhani in Bihar and Bhanupratappur in Chhattisgarh are the assembly seats where the bypolls are being held. Election authorities have made elaborate arrangements for the by-elections. The polling was being held amid tight security arrangements. In Uttar Pradesh, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, the polling began at 7 am, while in Rajasthan it started at 8 am. In Uttar Pradesh, a direct contest between the BJP and the Samajwadi Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) alliance is on the cards in bypolls to the Rampur Sadar and Khatauli assembly seats and the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. The BSP and the Congress are not contesting the bypolls. The by-election to the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat is taking place due to the death of Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh
Ahead of the high-octane Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypolls on Monday, the administration has stepped up the security with heavy deployment of the security forces, according to an official on Sunday
The Election Commission on Thursday rapped SSPs of Etawah and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh and sought explanations for them for failing to follow its transfer and posting policy ahead of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll. It also directed transfer of six sub-inspectors. The commission's action came a day after the Samajwadi Party (SP) urged it to look into the failure of the state police to randomise police forces ahead of the December 5 bypoll necessitated following the death of party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is pitted against BJP's Raghuraj Singh Shakya in the by-election. In a letter to the Uttar Pradesh chief electoral officer (CEO), the Election Commission (EC) directed the senior superintendent of police (SSP) of Mainpuri to submit an explanation to it as to why disciplinary proceedings should not be initiated against him for "non-compliance of the commission's extant instructions and relevant provisions of Model Code of Conduct while
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India has a history of celebrating festivals and fairs, which enrich the country's cultural heritage and also supports the local economy. During a virtual address on the occasion of Manipur's Sangai Festival, Modi said the northeastern state is endowed with natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It is like a necklace in which different gems are put together, with the state bearing the reflection of a mini India, he said. Festivals like Sangai boost the local economy, and attract investors as well as industries. I am confident that it will become a gateway to development of the region, the PM added. The Sangai Festival is being celebrated after a gap of two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Demanding release of funds under the MGNREGA scheme to all the 16 districts of the state, the All Manipur Tribals Development Grievances Forum called for an indefinite blockade on two vital hoghways
Flagging-off of the Agartala-Khongsang Jan Shatabdi Express by President Droupadi Murmu is a tribute to the 30-odd Indian Army Terriers killed in a landslide in Manipur's Tupul in June this year
The Manipur govt inducted 12 GPS-enabled highway patrol vehicles for the state's hill districts to ensure smooth and incident-free movements of all vehicles
In 2017, BJP had spent Rs 218.26 crore on the elections in the five states. In 2022, the expense was Rs 344 crore. Congress's bill rose from Rs 108.14 crore to Rs 194.80 during the same period
Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has launched a web portal to enable people to redress their grievances, and provide a platform to raise corruption-related issues, officials said. Three phone numbers, including two meant for the anti-corruption cell, has been made available on the portal 'CM da Haisi' (Let's inform the CM), they said. "... It will enable fast redressal of public grievances and also provide a platform to raise corruption-related issues," Biren wrote in a Facebook post. "This will further enable us to bring transparency and accountability in governance and delivery of public services," he added.
A clash broke out between Police and protesters during an eviction drive of local structures in Chingmeirong on Wednesday
The Manipur Police has arrested five officials for allegedly manipulating land records and issuing forged documents, a senior officer said. Additional DGP (law and order) Clay Khongsai said the five officials, including a sub-deputy collector (SDC), were apprehended for issuing fake pattas (land documents). "The accused persons have issued 35 fake pattas to individuals, resulting in a loss of around 19 acres of forest land in Thoubal district," the officer said on Sunday. Land records of 17-Chaobok sheet number IV have been found tempered, he said. "The sub-deputy collector of Chandel district, the prime accused in this fraudulent activity, had served as the circle mandal in charge of Supervisor Kanungo of Irong Chesaba when the pattas were issued and the village map was manipulated", the police officer said.
Singh said that he would have taken the same action if he had been the chief minister of Assam
After Manipur Chief Minister and state BJP chief, party's national president JP Nadda greeted 5 Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MLAs, who merged with the saffron party
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday expressed outrage over MLAs of his JD(U) in Manipur jumping ship to join the BJP. Talking to reporters at the party office here, where a two-day national conclave is underway, Kumar questioned the propriety and constitutionality of the alleged poaching by his former ally. He said the party's Manipur MLAs had confirmed their presence at the meeting, and had earlier backed JD(U)'s decision to quit the NDA. "When we were in NDA, they (BJP) gave our MLAs nothing. Now they have been won over," said Kumar, in what appeared to be a reference to horse trading. "Is it proper? Is it constitutional? Is it in line with established norms? They are doing so everywhere. Hence all parties must unite in 2024 for a positive mandate," said the JD(U) leader who is being pitched for a "national" role by his party. Asked about reports that he will be visiting Delhi in the next few days to meet top leaders and explore the prospects of opposition unity, Kumar
A day after five Janata Dal (United) MLAs from Manipur merged with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), party leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Saturday said that the state has become JDU-free
The Assam government's move of installing statues of freedom fighters from other Northeastern states at a newly inaugurated park in Guwahati has drawn applause from the chief ministers of the neighbouring states. The chief ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Manipur have expressed their gratitude through Twitter to their Assam counterpart for this initiative. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Tuesday inaugurated a park, Amrit Udyan, and unveiled statues of eight tribal leaders of the region. Among the eight leaders is Moje Riba, a freedom fighter from Arunachal Pradesh who was arrested by the British for resisting colonial rule. Welcoming the gesture, Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu tweeted: My special thanks to Hon CM of Assam Shri @himantabiswa Ji for unveiling the statue of Arunachal Pradesh freedom fighter Moje Riba at #AmritUdyan, Guwahati, today. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga thanked Sarma for honouring Rani Ropuiliani, who had spoken against Bri
Residents of 6 states and a Union Territory are yet to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic-induced income shock, data compiled by the National Statistical Office for 21 states and UTs for FY22 shocks.
Neroca FC came away with the Imphal Derby bragging rights, posting a 3-1 victory over Tiddim Road Athletic Union (TRAU) FC here at the Khuman Lampak stadium to start the Durand Cup