IMPHAL, November 30: The State cabinet today decided to extend the ‘Disturb Area’ status throughout the State excluding the Imphal Municipal Areas for another year and to set up a Sugnu SDC circle under Waikhong sub-division of Thoubal district, according to State government spokesperson and Education minister Moirangthem Okendro.
The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting convened at the conference hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat this morning at 9:30am chaired by the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
According to Okendro, the State government had taken comments and opinions from the State Police and central security agencies like the Army, CRPF and BSF regarding the present law and order situation in the State. In their comments, the security forces recommended extension of the Disturb Area status by another year in order to enable acting properly against the militants based both in the hills and the valley areas of the State, he said.
The State government after deliberately considering and discussing the recommendations resolved to extend the Disturb Area status by another year starting December 1 under Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 in all areas of the State excluding the Imphal Municipal areas, he said.
The Chief Minister also has the power to review the Disturb Area status after six months considering the law and order situation, he said.
The cabinet had also resolved to set up a Sugnu SDC circle under Waikhong sub-division in Thoubal district.
According to Okendro, 11 villages will come under the jurisdiction of the circle. He identified the villages as Mahou, Wangoo, Chairel, nungou, Nungou Wapokpi, Tangjeng, Tonsen, Sugnu, Lokhi Maru, Toupokpi and Serou.
He said the establishment of the new SDC circle will help the people of these villages in seeking official documents without going far.
The cabinet, he said, also decided to amend the Manipur Municipalities Act, 1994 to strengthen the urban local bodies.
He said with the amendment of the Municipalities Act will allow post creation of 27 Executive Officers and nine Assistant Executive Officers transferrable among the urban local bodies.
The State cabinet has also approved appointment of 357 contract post by the State Health Society under the National Health Mission. The posts include medical specialist doctors, psychiatrist, ENT specialists, dental surgeons, MBBS doctors, physiotherapist, staff nurse, programme consultant, counsellor and social workers.
He continued it was also decided to fill 24 vacant posts of AE/ASW in PWD through the MPSC. Regarding the recruitment process, he said 10 posts will be filled through direct recruitment whereas the others will be filled through promotion.