Manipur pushes ahead with finance, power reforms

Official sources said as part of the reforms, several cost-cutting measures had already been taken by the state Govt.

Manipur Government has decided to push ahead with major reforms in the state's fiscal, power and irrigation sectors this year. Official sources said that as part of the reforms, several cost-cutting measures had already been taken by the state government, considering the resource constraints.

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A total of 12,012 posts have been abolished so far by the state government, as per an understanding signed with the Union Ministry of Finance in 2002. Of fifteen Government sector units, nine unviable ones have also been wounded up.

The state government has also hired the Hyderabad-based Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) as a consultant to spruce up power management in Manipur. The ASCI has recently submitted the inception report along with diagnostic studies and mid-term recommendations.

Additionally, the state has also constituted a high-level committee to monitor the restructuring and reform programmes in the power sector. Steps for setting up a joint state electricity regulatory commission with Mizoram have also being initiated, the sources said. A road map for the corporatisation of the power department by 2006-07 in the state will be prepared and submitted to the Union Ministry of Power.

In the irrigation sector, "necessary steps" had been initiated for the amendment of the state's existing Irrigation Act and Canal Rules to ensure the collection of taxes from farmers, the sources said.