Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has announced to install a statue of Haipou Jadonang at Makuilongdi village. He also said the Rs 6-crore Heritage Park, which is being constructed at Makhel, would be completed before this year’s Sangai Festival.
The chief minister was addressing the ninth edition of the state-level Chaga Ngee Festival celebration held at Makuilongdi-II, Liang-Nam, Senapati district on October 30. He said that, considering the significance of the festival, the state cabinet had earlier announced the day as a restricted holiday.
Stressing the need to preserve the historical significance of Makuilongdi village, Biren announced to install a statue of Haipou Jadonang and said the approval of the same would be sanctioned within 15 days. He also assured to construct a permanent hall, instead of the current bamboo structure, at the ground where the festival was observed on Sunday.
Stating the need to revive the state’s history, he expressed his desire to include the history shared by different communities in the syllabus of school students.
Also, saying that the Liangmai community of the state had been deprived of access to certain benefits of government’s welfare programme, he informed that the state government had decided to open a sub deputy collector’s office at Makui Village. The office will be later upgraded to the Sub-Divisional Office, he added.
Stating that development is needed to maintain a peaceful and sound environment, Biren appreciated the Zeliangrong people for electing the right representatives, who take initiatives for development of their regions.
Biren maintained that the current government aimed to empower minority sections of the society and to take them along in the path of development. He also stressed the need to remember the aged-old relationship among different communities and live together with respect for one another.
The chief minister lauded the people of Makuilongdi village for carrying out plantation of organic crops instead of poppy plantations and assured to send officials of the horticulture department to look for suitable crops which could be provided to the village for plantation.
He further assured to construct a cold storage at the village to prevent wastage of the crop produced and added that the Government would provide a market platform for selling their produce.
Water Resources Minister Awangbow Newmai said, Chaga Ngee festival, which is also known as the festival of sanctification, has been celebrated since the olden days. He said the aged-old relationships among different communities had been revived under the leadership of Biren. He added that various development works had also been taken up across the state, bridging the developmental gap between hill and valley.
Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Leishemba Sanajaoba, speaking at the occasion, said, “With time, the significance of the aged-old tradition of celebrating Chaga Ngee festival was revived in 2004 with the current trend of promoting our identity”.
Lauding the Liangmai community for such an initiative, he said the festival was also known as the festival of purification. Stating that different communities of the state had been living together since time immemorial, he assured to take up all possible efforts for the progress of the state.
Hill Areas Committee chairman Dinganglung Gangmei, Tamenglong AC MLA Janghemlung Panmei, Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police, Senapati District, office bearers of civil society organisations and students’ associations and officials of district administration, Senapati also attended the programme among others.
During the programme, the chief minister also handed over a reward of Rs 5 Lakh to Tapon village, which voluntarily destroyed poppy plantation. Cultural dances by different cultural troupes were showcased during the celebration.
