In 2019 ILP was introduced in Manipur at the height of agitation against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Manipur Chief minister Nongthombam Biren Singh while speaking on the 50th anniversary of Statehood of Manipur said, “Our Prime Minister has the best interest at heart for Manipur. He has gifted us with the Inner Line Permit—our long-standing demand to preserve our identity, heritage and culture. We must once again thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Shri Amit Shah for renaming Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur in honour of Maharaja Kulachandra Singh and others who revolted against British rule”.
He added that the BJP-led government of the State has been driving the State on a journey of peace and prosperity. Manipur today is a new ‘Aspirational Manipur’ where the common man can dream big and achieve even more. Today Manipur stands on a foundation of peace and stability. This was not the case before our Government came to power in 2017, when blockade and bloodshed paralyzed our streets, and violence and insurgency stalled our progress. After we formed the government, our top priority was to bring peace and stability in the state. We focused on inclusive development, and on bridging gaps between the hill and the valley by taking development to all, irrespective of caste, creed or tribe. Initiatives such as ‘Go to Hills’ have seen overwhelming acceptance and participation across communities. Another innovative administrative model that we have been privileged to introduce is the Go to Village Mission for doorstep delivery of government assistance to every village”.
He added that trade and commerce has been at the center of our vision for Manipur. Our children are learning new things in a safer environment. “Our youth can finally shed fear and start new ventures. We have been able to empower our women to take up economic activities by constructing more Ema markets. We have established Women Police Stations and One-Stop Centers in every district where the needs and safety concerns of our women are taken care of”.
He added that the five years of our Government has etched an indelible mark in the growth story of Manipur. “We have moved away from insurgency and have adopted peace development. But the task is not finished yet. Our eyes should now be on the next decade: Decade of the Youth of Manipur. The next 10 years will be focussed on holistic development. From excelling in sports to providing better healthcares from scaling in innovation to having better road and rail infrastructure, from improving educational infrastructure to providing best facilities for Startups and entrepreneurs, the idea is to develop Manipur as a model state. The policies of the state are no longer about creating divides based on geography and ethnicity, but about making last mile delivery a reality”.
The chief minister added, “To promote trade in the state, linkages across the Bay of Bengal trade network will be developed. Manipur’s trade routes will begin from where the sun rises and end where the sun sets. Robust trade and commerce activities will increase the per capita income and this will in turn open up new opportunities for the youth, and thereby bring all round prosperity. ‘Model Manipur’ will be based on PM Modi’s vision for Vocal for Local. Model Manipur’ will be a State free from corruption, insurgency and instability”.
The elections to the 60-member Manipur assembly would be held in Manipur in two phases on February 27 and March 3.