IMPHAL: Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said the government needs cooperation and support of veterans of the armed forces in improving the law-and-order situation in the strife-torn state. He was addressing army veterans and their families on the occasion of the 9th Armed Forces Veterans’ Day-2025 at the 1st Battalion, Manipur Rifles hall in Imphal.
Singh said that all positive suggestions and advice from the veterans towards restoring peace and normalcy are welcomed.
He also announced an ex-gratia of ₹10 lakhs for soldiers who have laid down their lives on duty and said that the government has already sanctioned ₹3 crores for the construction of a memorial park for soldiers of the Indian armed forces from the state who have laid down their lives for the nation at Lamphelpat.
The chief minister noted that around 350 officers from the state are currently serving in the combined defense forces and said that the state has produced two officers in the rank of Lieutenant Generals in the Indian Army. He said he had met the Commanding Officer of a nuclear submarine, who happened to be from the state in a recent event.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the nation’s dependence on foreign countries for procurement of defence machinery have minimised. This was made possible through the implementation of Atmanirbhar Bharat programme that aims to make the country self-reliant in its defence sector, he added.
{{/usCountry}}He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the nation’s dependence on foreign countries for procurement of defence machinery have minimised. This was made possible through the implementation of Atmanirbhar Bharat programme that aims to make the country self-reliant in its defence sector, he added.
{{/usCountry}}He praised Major Laishram Jyotin Singh who sacrificed his life trying to protect civilians in Afghanistan and Major Bob Khathing for the valour and courage shown while performing duties.
Biren Singh said that a 22-minute-long film “Chahi Taret Khuntakpa”(Seven years of Devastation) was recently released and this film will soon be telecast on History Channel. It is the need of the hour to understand the land’s history properly, he said.
The re-naming of Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur by the Centre has shown the central leaders’ care and in-depth knowledge of the state’s history, he said.
Singh also said that the rejuvenation work of Lamphelpat Water Bodies, extending to around 430 acres, is being taken up at a project cost of around ₹650 crore.