Even as the state is reeling under a relentless avalanche of bandhs,blockades and general strikes bringing the social life to a grinding halt, the not so recent encouraging news about the expected improvement in the power starved state with the ongoing preparations for bringing in the much needed power from the Palatana power plant inTripura nearing completion was nothing short of the proverbial wisp of fresh air. For a state on the brink of social collapse and economic regression fuelled by unemployment and limited economic opportunities and aided in no small measure by the rising crimes, extortions,abductions, corruptions and social unrest, a sustainable and pragmatic plan that could take the state from the murky depths of confusion and hopelessness that is haunting the collective mentality of the public is of paramount importance. Having promised an amazing plethora of changes and developments, the state Government have succumbed to petty politicking and self-centered activities. The visibly indifferent attitude and complacent behavior might be an inherent defect of being in power for too long, a manifestation of starting to take the mandate of the people for granted, or an advantage of having too manyirrational individuals who prefers to pawn their suffrage for meagerconsiderations. Whatever the reason as it may, no amount of promise or assurances can wish away the cold harsh fact that the state is declining in every aspect of governance, which in turn, deteriorates the social and financial setup of the society. For this to change, the people must be engaged, both socially and financially. Creating jobs for the teeming educated unemployed youths of the state which is on the rise rapidly is an impossible task. The only plausible solution for the Government is to help develop an entrepreneurial way of thought, which, together with an effective support system could harness the untapped potentials of the educated and enterprising minds of the state. Here in lies the paradox. Any development work or commercial activity requires electricity. The state, at the moment is fighting a losing battle when it comes to providing power to the public, the in efficiency of the work force in the department in checking loss of power in transmission and theft compounding the problem. While the added power input will ease some of the shortages
in the state, alternative sources such as wind and solar are increasingly becoming affordable and viable source of power. The implications for pursuing these alternative sources are also getting more promising since the damage to the ecology and environment will be negligible. The Government can make a huge impact in convincing the people to adopt these alternative sources of power by drawing up a plan that could ease the burden of the huge initial investment which is keeping the potential consumers away at present. The protracted dilemma of providing power to remote areas of the state, which is vital for bridging the yawning gap in equitable development, will also be eased to a considerable degree. Accelerated development and progress depends on the level of infrastructure in the state. Power,or the adequate availability of it, will determine the future of the state. It is high time for the state government to capitalise on the potentials which nature has so generously endowed on Manipur. A farsighted vision reinforced with an earnest effort can make a brighter and better Manipur.
