Manipur gears up for new year with hill tribe Chief's guest house opening

Guwahati: As the ambience of yuletide envelopes the mountainous ranges of strife-torn Manipur, state Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday (December 22) said that the guest house for chiefs of tribal communities in the hills would be inaugurated in the next few days before New Year.

As a Christmas and New Year gift to the people of Manipur, Chief Minister Biren Singh announced the government’s plan of setting up a library hall each for all the recognised 33-34 ethnic tribes of Manipur across the state with a total estimated cost of Rs 10 crore.

Addressing a huge gathering at the curtain raiser of the commissioning of INS Imphal, Indian Navy’s stealth guided missile destroyers at Kangla fort in state capital Imphal, the Chief Minister said that the Manipur government had been planning to construct the tribal chiefs’ guest house since 2017.

“The hill people and valley people are inseparable politically and historically. We are all brothers and sisters. So whenever they come to Imphal, they are looking for hotels to take rest and stay,” Chief Minister Singh said.

Considering the scantiness of hotels in Imphal, the Manipur government constructed the guest house having 40 rooms at the palace compound in Imphal East district.

Expounding on INS Imphal, Chief Minister Singh said that the entire state should feel proud of the naming of the warship after the state capital, adding that Manipur has earned its own place in the world.

“Whatever recognition we are getting today is because of our forefathers’ contributions and sacrifices. Naming of the warship INS Imphal is a recognition and show of respect to Manipur’s rich history and past glory,” the Chief Minister said.

The Chief Minister further said that politics is not just development of infrastructure, but it is also about rolling out policies which will deliver long-term welfare to the communities and the state.

He also highlighted the renaming of Mount Harriet as Mount Manipur in Andaman and Nicobar islands, nomination of state athletes Naorem Roshibina Devi and Pukhrambam Sushila Chanu for Arjuna Award and extension of Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to Manipur.