IMPHAL, Dec 9 - Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh-led Congress Government in Manipur has created seven new districts, taking the total to 16 in the tiny and volatile border State.
Earlier, the State had just nine districts, namely � Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Chandel, Churachandpur, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul.
The newly-created districts are Jiribam, Kangpokpi, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Kamjong, Pherzawl and Noney which were carved out of the districts of Imphal East, Senapati, Thoubal, Chandel, Ukhrul, Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts respectively. However, the most thickly populated Imphal West and Bishnupur districts remained unchanged.
The decision of the Ibobi Government came to light only on Friday morning when the order of transferring seven IAS officers as Deputy Commissioners of the new districts was circulated in social media. The transfer order of seven senior police officers as Superntendent of Police of the said new districts was also circulated. The Gazette notification of the creation of the new districts was made available at DIPR office here in the afternoon.
�The district boundaries will be as per the existing boundaries of the concerned sub-divisions and in the event of any dispute relating to the district boundaries, the matter will be decided by a Districts Boundary Commission headed by a retired Judge of High Court, with Secretaries of Home, Revenue and Tribal Affairs and Hills as members,� said the notification.
The people of the newly-created districts particularly in Kakching, Jiribam and Kangpokpi expressed happiness over the announcement of new district.
However, there is no report of any reaction from the United Naga Council (UNC) so far. It had clamped an indefinite economic blockade on the National Highways in Manipur since November 1 in protest against the government�s move to declare Sadar Hills in Senapati district and Jiribam in Imphal East district as fullfledged districts.