By : MC Dara
Metaphorically, Manipur has differently been described as “The Swizerland of the East” and “The another Kashmir”. But it is not such a big sate only 22,327 sqkm. in area with a population of about 23 lakhs. The population of the state is less than that of even Cassar, a small district of Assam. The population of Cassar has already touched 31 lakhs. On one sense, it is questionable on how the state is still doing in some way or another. Prices of goods reaching sky-high, killing and death, threat and intimation, extortion of money, collection of percentage from development works in illegal forms, passing of bills only after doing the works on paper, terrorizing members of certain families-all these undesirable things engulve our state now. It is the work of a state organized group or else? Such an act of extorting money is happening everyday while the government is as much corrupted as possible. It is said that a post of ASI or SI can be bought at the rate of rupees more than 10 lakhs. It is talked about whether right or wrong. There is no limit in doing corruption. The government officers and employees are taking advantage of the insurgency problem. In this situation, the common people are just like being fried in a pan put on the top of a fireplace. Meanwhile, some people very clever are looking at the public money at the cost of public welfare. The only people who are leading a comfortable life are the ministers, elected MLA’s and some officers being protected by security personnel. Maintaining low and order means protecting only a few people belonging to this group. Whether the law and order situation is good or bad is assessed by their way of life. The government seems to be unconcerned about how hard a life the common people are living, finding no ways to employment generation. Bureaucrats and their coins are putting many efforts up to the way to make money without doing hard works and enjoying a comfortable way of life on the blood of common people. This is the situation in the state of Manipur. Would it say that the land is golden? Tripura has government as in Manipur. Would it say that the land is golden? Tripura has government as in Manipur, but their per capita income has increased to 24,000 while that of Manipur has remained as low as 11,000. In this state, corruption is almost nill. Mizoram is likely to progress a lot, far ahead of Manipur. In this state, standard airports are being constructed after levelling the hilly ground surfaces. One steps have been taken up in the state to generate a source of income for the people. A lot of incentives have been encouraged among the people to work more.
The Mizo-youth and elders have gained the steps forward. All these come to happen truly, because of a cleaner election and a good governance. But in Manipur, there is a series of adverse administration due to lack of a good leadership. As the government of the same sort is continuing, there is no change in administration at all. Those elected representatives, who won the same election, promising ‘welfare schemes’ for the people, have now used up elastic money in order to scoop the public properties with their hands on the left and right. To this, people remain dumb spectators and are unable to stage a protest against them and the collaborators. A lot of people then would become sycophants to the winning candidates. Not this all, a priority should be given first in education system, health services and sound economy conditions. We can’t say that how far we have achieved in this matter as a whole. More than six populace educated unemployed youths out of about 26 populace of the state have already crossed over a statistical margin, finding no job-oriented employment no job-oriented employment and it is the permission that they see no hope for a bring future. Some are those who would stay away from their own homes when they become disappointed, frustrated and disillusioned with the negligence and ignorance of the government in launching rural development programme. It will not be a far wrong to say that in the rural areas people have no rights areas people have no rights to lead a decent life as a human being because the government seems to be clever and powerful in scooping public properties while the rural poor have forgotten that there is a governance. It is the duty of the state to eradicate poverty. Being a poor is not a sin. The poor can’t live on charity. The government should try to protect their rights as they too have the right to life. Now, the people have come to accept that nothing can be done without corruption. The moral fibre of the present government is tenuous. Still, we have not seen the emergence of any good personalities in each of the government departments, offices, administrative units etc. So, the state is in chaos or turmoil. To this situation, might is right. The law seems to be in the hands of individuals and they do whatever they like. There is a sublime of government.
