N Biren Singh is successfully completing one year in the office as the Chief Minister of Manipur. Once a professional footballer, Biren Singh has mainstreamed the hilly state with ushering in a people-oriented development model, which has earned him an image of the man of development with a human touch, in a very short span of time.
The journalist-turned politician spoke to Ganesh Krishnan R, on the achievements and future priorities of his one-year-old government. Excerpts:
It has been one year since you took over as Manipur Chief Minister. How far was the government successful in achieving its goals?
During election campaign, my party had given an assurance to the people of Manipur that if BJP was voted to power, we would give its best in the first 15 months that can undo the damages caused by the 15 years of misgovernance of the Congress. When I took over as Chief Minister, this was the major challenge before me. Fortunately, within one year the government could show the results on the ground. We have fulfilled the promises of our leaders that we would bring in the change, which the Congress failed to do in 15 years of its rule. Earlier, the day-today life was very much affected by economic blockade. There was an intense and prolonged tussle between the people belonging to the hill area and the plane. Even elected members were unable to visit their respective constituencies. Now we have amicably solved the issue. I thank God, thank our leaders who supported the Manipur government. Now you can travel all across the state freely and fearlessly. One of the important promises was that we would uplift the poor and the needy people of the society. Towards achieving this goal, along with the effective implementation of the Union Government’s schemes like Prime Minister’s Ujjwala Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Avas Yojana, the state government announced two more welfare schemes. One was the Chief Minister’s Health Assurance programme in which the patients are directly getting financial assistance from the state exchequer, instead of paying huge amount to insurance companies. Second, we have introduced a new pension scheme for Divyangs. For those who are permanently disabled, we give a monthly pension of Rs 1500. For partially disabled, the government provides loans to make them self-sufficient. Until a year ago, the condition of roads and highways was pathetic and worst. As you know, Manipur is landlocked and there is no scope for waterway. National Highway-2 almost remained shut down due to blockades and bandhs. But in the last ten months, the condition of all the National Highways has improved and now they are as good as the best highways passing through any other state. Earlier, there was no direct flight between Imphal and Delhi, now the airline companies are providing service at least twice in a week. My satisfaction lies in the response of my people. They are happy, so am I!
As you said, when you swore-in as the Chief Minister, the major issue, which hindered the public life and overall development of the state, was economic blockade imposed by certain elements. What are the methods and means your government has adopted to bring the situation under control?
Economic blockade was the major issue faced by the common people of Manipur. Because of that the relations among different communities also got strained. For the last one year, there has not been a single incident of blockade. We were open to dialogue. We were able to take all the stakeholders on board to discuss the issue. Our policy was ‘Meet the people and solve the issue’. We reached out to the agitating masses and talked to them and came up with a solution. I have requested them that, instead of directly taking to the street, they should talk to the government and urge the government to intervene whenever it is needed. If the government denies their reasonable demands, they can think about other ways. If the demands are reasonable, we are ready to negotiate. Otherwise, I will not allow the blockade to happen repeatedly as in the early days. It seems to have worked out and as of now, everything is alright.
The successive Congress governments in the state were allegedly involved in several fake encounters. BJP had promised to order a probe into it. What is the current status?
These cases are now under consideration of the honourable Supreme Court. The court has already ordered a probe into such incidents. Many Special Investigation Teams have been formed and the investigation is on. And the state government is giving maximum help to bring the truth to light.
What are the new development projects undertaken by your government and what is the vision for the coming years?
The main reason for misunderstanding between the plane and the valley was the imbalance in development. Now we are building up communication and transport network, especially road network. The Home Ministry has ratified a paln to give a helicopter to Manipur. Because, if there is a landslide during raining season in the terrain area, we cannot reach out there and rescue the people. For road development, the Union Government has already invested around Rs 26,000 crore. My vision is to uplift the individuals. Without improving the quality of an individual, we cannot develop a good family or society. So we want to bring development to the micro level. After finding out people who are bereft of employment opportunities in villages, we will bring them under special programmes and schemes to improve their skill and enable them to stand on their own feet. We have also identified some six districts in the hills wherein the construction of women markets is going on. Our Prime Minister visited one such market to inaugurate it. The other six markets are almost complete. As far as electricity connection is concerned, only 31 places are left unreached. We have electrified all other villages. The shortage of drinking water was a major issue. Even though ours is a hilly area and deforestation is very high, now under government schemes we are harvesting rainwater that will resolve the problem to a certain extent. There was not asingle government quarter where government employees or students could stay in hill areas. Now we have started the construction of 21 government quarters and rest houses in those areas. Our priority is to focus on such people-oriented programmes.
Manipur won an award in the category “Most Efficiently Run Health Program by the State Government” by Indian Express Group. Don’t you think the Government could create a very positive image about the developing Manipur in a year?
I was so surprised and happy when the Indian Express Group selected our health programme as the most efficiently run health programme by a State Government. This particular programme was also people-oriented. It took four to five months to zero down on how to implement our healthcare policy. Unlike the other models of investing crores of rupees to some insurance company, we floated a new scheme under which the needy people can avail the cost of medical care directly from the state exchequer. We have appointed a third party that is entitled to issue medical card for socially and economically backward people. As per this scheme, when a card holder is admitted to a hospital, the hospital bill will be sent to the third party and they will forward it to the health department. Immediately, the health department will sanction the amount. Those who are admitted in hospitals, will get a medical assurance up to Rs 2 lakh. It covers around 15 lakh people including widows, those who are Below Poverty Line and socially and financially backward citizens. It is not insurance but assurance.
You put special efforts to reach out to Nagaland people and the state’s Chief Minister. How was the experience?
Immediately after I swore-in as the Chief Minister, the then Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu paid a visit to Manipur. It was the first time a Nagaland Chief Minister visited Manipur. We gave him a red carpet welcome. I was so happy about that. Neighbours are always neighbours. We cannot change our neighbours. So the relationship with our neighbours has to be healthier and well-maintained. I always try to keep my neighbours happier. But it was not the case with the previous governments. I am always open to talk to them and I treat all our neighbours as our family so that there will not be any discord or controversy between two states. I visited Nagaland as the chief guest of the Horn Bill festival last year. The BJP and its allies have made government in Nagaland. The NDPP leader Neiphiu Rio is the new Chief Minister. I attended the swearing-in ceremony and we sat together. It was a great pleasure.
How do you see the recent sterling victory of the BJP in the entire northeastern states? Do you think the BJP-led Government in most of the NE States will help in bringing stability, development and peace in the region?
Actually, earlier, we the people had a feeling of alienation. No one cared about us. When we used to visit Delhi, they never listened to our voice. They did not even know where Manipur is. But now, after Shri Narendra Modiji became the Prime Minister, after observing his keen interest in the entire northeastern region, development ideas, his ideology and vision, the people have started feeling confident. The people have started thinking ‘We are one and why should we feel alienated?’ The feeling of oneness has come back now. The victory of BJP in Tripura was amazing. The most important thing now is the Communists have been exposed in Tripura. With this election, we all have come to know what was going on there for the last several decades. I always appeal to the people to visit Tripura to see the condition of people over there. It is horrible and pathetic. You cannot find even a single good house. The Communists have kept all the state machinery in their hands and enslaved the people. They suffered a lot. Now out of eight Northeastern states, seven states are ours. Only Mizoram is left out and we will win there in next election because people are suffering too much. God has given us hands and brain, it is up to us to decide our destiny. Until BJP comes to power in Mizoram, their problems will not be solved.
What are your priorities for the State? How are you planning to execute them in the coming years?
My priority will be serving the people. I want to uplift each and every individual. Unless we improve the quality of life of individuals and families, there is no meaning to develop roads and highways. Their happiness should be the top priority, for which education is highly important. Last week, we launched two new schemes—Start Up Manipur and Lairik Tamhanlasi (Let them Learn. The main objective of the Lairik Tamhanlasi is to prevent dropouts. After a survey, I found that around 40,000 drop-out students are there in Manipur. This is one of the basic reasons of the chaos in the society. The scheme will ensure that no child is left behind to get his/her basic right to education up to the higher secondary stage of education. The government will provide the cost of admission fees, examination fees and tuition fees, uniform and textbooks to the government school students. If we hold education on the top of priority list, that alone can bring in a drastic change in the society.
On social media, I have seen young people commenting on your sense of humour and sarcasm. Is it true?
(He laughs). It is true that I sometimes reply sarcastically to my political opponents. Especially when it comes to baseless allegations levelled by the Congress.
