Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has called for a practical and sustained approach towards restoring peace in Manipur, stressing that appeals for unity and peace confined to the valley districts alone cannot bring lasting peace to the State.
Speaking at the Seva Jyoti Yatra organised at the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal today as part of the ongoing Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, the Chief Minister said the valley accounts for only around eight per cent of Manipur’s geographical area and stressed the need for greater outreach to the hill areas and their people.
He said efforts for peace must go beyond slogans and public programmes in the valley and involve direct engagement with people in the hills. Recalling the history of Manipur as a kingdom, Khemchand said the kings used to frequently visit the hill areas and maintained contact with the people there, suggesting that a similar spirit of outreach was necessary in the present circumstances.
The Chief Minister also called upon the 36 communities living in Manipur to come together for a common cause, saying unity was essential for restoring peace, protecting the integrity of the State and collectively working towards the vision of a Viksit Bharat and a Viksit Manipur.
He appealed to people to resolve differences through dialogue instead of resorting to agitations, bandhs and blockades that disrupt normal life and economic activity. Such disruptions, he said, have a direct impact on the State’s economy and development.
Khemchand said the crisis that erupted in Manipur in 2023 had severely affected the State’s economy, claiming that the State suffered an estimated loss of more than Rs 1,200 crore in GST revenue during the period from 2023 to 2026. He further stated that bandhs and blockades resulted in losses estimated at around Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore per day.
The Chief Minister said collective efforts were necessary to rebuild the State and create conditions conducive to development. He linked the task of restoring peace with the broader objective of ensuring that Manipur participates in the country’s development journey towards 2047.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, Khemchand said India’s position in the global economy had changed significantly under the Prime Minister’s leadership. He said India, which was the world’s 11th largest economy before Modi became Prime Minister, now occupies the fourth position, and added that the objective was to build a stronger and developed India by the time the country completes 100 years of independence.
Highlighting development initiatives in Manipur, the Chief Minister credited the Prime Minister’s leadership with several projects and infrastructure initiatives in the State. He referred to the extension of railway connectivity to Khongsang in Tamenglong district, saying the development had improved connectivity and contributed to the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities.
He also highlighted the establishment of the National Sports University in Manipur, describing it as the first and only university of its kind in the country, besides the establishment of Churachandpur Medical College in the hill district.
On drinking water infrastructure, Khemchand said access to potable water in remote areas of the State had increased from around six per cent earlier to nearly 80 per cent at present.
He further stated that work was underway on 240 km of border fencing at an estimated cost of around Rs 3,223 crore. Of this, he said, fencing work had been completed along 55 km, while piers for another 80 km had been erected and were ready for the fencing work.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while participating in the Seva Jyoti Yatra, a foot march organised in observance of Seva Sankalp Abhiyan to commemorate what was described at the programme as 25 continuous years of public service by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
During the yatra, Khemchand led other dignitaries carrying torches in a foot march from the main venue towards the Northern Gate of Kangla.
Rajya Sabha MP Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, speaking at the programme, highlighted various welfare and development schemes implemented under the Prime Minister’s leadership, particularly those aimed at benefiting people at the grassroots level and supporting weaker sections of society.
She also highlighted initiatives relating to women-led development, stating that women’s participation was being accorded importance in the country’s development process.
Sharda Devi appealed to the people to extend cooperation to initiatives of the State Government aimed at restoring peace in Manipur.
Art and Culture and Tourism Minister Khuraijam Loken Singh, MLAs, the Chief Secretary, senior administrative officers, government staff and members of the public attended the programme.
This version gives the peace appeal and hill-valley outreach the strongest prominence, while keeping the development-related portions as supporting context rather than allowing them to dominate the report.
