IMPHAL, March 2: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs hasn`™t fixed the date of the tripartite meeting and signing of the agreement for the extension of the Suspension of Operation with Kuki armed outfits, stated deputy CM Gaikhangam, also the Home minister.
Replying to a question raised by Singhat A/C MLA Ginsuanhau about the present status of the SoO signed with Kuki armed groups and the reason for discontinuing the talks after the expiry of the agreement on August 22, 2014, he said the SoO didn`™t extend beyond August 21 last year but the government was waiting for fixing a date for the tripartite meeting and the signing of an agreement for extension from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The SoO has been extended from time to time by both KNO and UPF but this time around both have requested the Union government to hold a tripartite talk in Delhi.
The State government can`™t take part if the talks are held in Delhi but we have already relayed the request of the Kuki groups to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs which is yet to take a decision.
Responding to a question from Dr I Ibohalbi Singh about the number of community blocks under the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj department and of which how many were functioning, the concerned minister Francis Ngajokpa said the total number of community development blocks existing in the State is 18 with nine fully functional. The State department has created 20 posts of BDO for 9 blocks and there are 23 blocks in both the hills and valley districts and the other remaining 9 blocks will also be made fully functional soon.