Manipur CM distributes monetary aid under illness assistance fund

Imphal (Manipur)[India], December 09 (ANI): Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has distributed monetary aid worth Rs. 1.1 crore to 91 selected beneficiaries under Manipur State Illness Assistance Fund (MSIAF).

The chief minister handed over the monetary aid to the beneficiaries at a ceremony held at Durbar Hall of Chief Minister's Secretariat in Imphal on Friday.

The beneficiaries were selected from among the applications received between December 15, 2014, and February 2015.

Addressing the occasion, the chief minister said the government provided medical re-imbursement up to Rs. 1.5 lakh to BPL families for medical treatment under MSIAF.

He said that the new government was focussing on providing healthcare to the masses.

N. Biren said large number of people have been visiting him on Meeyamgi Numit and Hill Leaders' Day seeking help in meeting their medical expenses despite the existence of this scheme.

In fact, these two days have been an eye opener for the new government as it provided vital information regarding people's woes, the chief minister said.

As such, the Government had designed a new scheme known as 'Hakshelgi Tengbang' for medical and health care of poor families, he said while adding that the scheme would provide cashless medical treatment to poor families up to defined financial ceilings.

For seven critical diseases such as cancer, neuro, kidney, heart, burns, liver and neo-natal, the scheme would provide a cashless medical cover up to Rs 2 lakh per family.

Informing that the open tender/e-tender for the new scheme had already been floated and implementing agencies shortlisted, the Chief Minister mentioned that the scheme is likely to be launched in January next year.

Stating that the government had also launched another scheme known as 'Chief Ministergi Shotharabasingi Tengbang' last Sunday (December 3), the Chief Minister said that action would be taken against any official, who delays more than 24 hours in handing over monetary aid to the beneficiaries who had already been selected for the new scheme.

On the sideline, Chief Minister reiterated that the state's territorial integrity would never be affected at any cost due to the final settlement of Naga issue.

It may be mentioned that Biren returned to the Imphal from Kolkata on Friday after meeting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the issue on Thursday.

The Chief Minister informed that he along with the Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had a discussion with the Union Home Minister regarding the possible settlement of Naga issue.

The Chief Minister said that Rajnath Singh was simply trying to assess the concerns of these three States on the Naga issue.

The Chief Minister said that he told the Home Minister that neither he nor the people of Manipur and the present state government would agree division of Manipur to bring a solution to the Naga issue.

Biren stated that he urged the home minister not to do anything which may disturb the oneness of hill and valley people who have been residing together harmoniously since time immemorial.

Stating that he also clearly conveyed to the home minister that people of Manipur would never accept alteration of territorial boundary of the state, the Chief Minister said that he also told Rajnath Singh that people's will is the State Government's will.

He further said that the Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh also told the Union Minister that they would never endorse an agreement which may infringe on the territorial boundary of their respective states though they are ready to extend full support in settling the issue within the state of Nagaland.(ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI