IMPHAL, Sept 12 - Manipur Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Francis Ngajokpa met Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and apprised him of the extensive damages suffered by the State in the recent flood especially roads, bridges, standing crops and other properties in both hill and valley districts, according to an official press release on Wednesday.
As many as 296 PMGSY roads and bridges covering a total length of 479.95 km was washed away during the flood in Manipur and unless it was reconstructed or repaired immediately, villagers in remote areas would remain disconnected, he informed the Union Minister.
Stating that the damages due to landslides, sinking, submersion and erosion was very extensive, Ngajokpa also requested the Union Minister to depute an inter-Ministerial team to assess the gravity of damages.
Rijiju assured the Manipur Minister that as soon as a proposal from the State Government was received, an inter-Ministerial team would be sent to assess the damage.
Minister Francis also met Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh on Tuesday and apprised him of the situation. Since there was no fund for repairing of PMGSY roads, the Union Minister suggested him to approach the Union Home Ministry for repairing of the roads and bridges under the National Disaster Management Scheme.
Ngajokpa requested the Union Minister to enhance the fund for Manipur for development of PMGSY roads, the release added. The Union Minister assured him of providing sufficient funds for PMGSY schemes in Manipur.
