Imphal, July 15, 2019 (DIPR): Chief Minister N. Biren Singh stated that media plays an important role in enhancing the reach of government schemes and in filling the gaps of service in remote parts of the State. This was stated by him at the media briefing during the joint Meeyamgi Numit and Hill Leaders’ Day held at Chief Minister’s Secretariat today.

            Addressing the media persons, Chief Minister lauded the efforts of the media houses for their commendable humanitarian service and their role in creating consciousness and promoting various welfare schemes in the society. He appealed the media houses to their service and support the government to bring inclusive development in the State.

            On the occasion, Chief Minister expressed that under the ‘War against Drugs’ campaign, recently, the combined team of Narcotics and Affairs of Border(NAB) and Police busted a Brown Sugar manufacturing factory which led to the seizure of large quantity of drugs worth over Rs. 100 crores in the International market. Those Police and NAB personnel who were the part of the crackdown will be given due recognition in the forthcoming Independence Day Celebration, 2019. Those personnel will be given Chief Minister’s Commendation Award for their outstanding service, he added. He stated that the government will felicitate the team tomorrow and will give a reward of Rs. 10 lakhs to the team for their distinguished service.

            Maintaining that there is a sigh of relief among the farmers as the monsoon rainfall has finally arrived in the region, he stated that the government is trying its best to provide irrigation facilities to the paddy fields of the State. Chief Minister said that large numbers of Irrigation pumpsets were distributed to the farmers recently. Various River Lift Irrigation (RLI) schemes have started functioning so as to provide irrigation water in various parts of the State. He mentioned that the government will procure more Irrigation pump sets to combat any water shortage in the paddy fields of the State.

            In a query regarding the row over the border pillar in Tengnoupal district, he maintained that a joint survey comprising of officials from both the countries will be conducted whenever any dispute arises.

During the function, Chief Minister handed over the loan cheque of Rs. 7 lakhs to Mayengbam Shyamchandra Meitei, a progressive farmer from Wangoo, Kakching district. The loan is being given by Manipur State Co-operative Bank.

            The Chief Minister personally attended to around 400 complaints and met nearly 1200 people from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Principal Secretary (Health) and Nodal Officer of Meeyamgi Numit Vumlunmang Vualnam, Commissioner (Planning) and OSD to CM Sumant Singh, Secretary to CM N. Geoffrey, IG (Adm) I.K. Muivah and other senior Government officials assisted the Chief Minister in assessing people’s complaints.

Officials of different Government Departments like Health, Minority, Other Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes, Social Welfare, Education (S), SBI, Manipur State Co-operative Bank Ltd. and Police were also present at the CM’s Secretariat complex to resolve people’s grievances instantly.