INA memorial complex

Imphal, June 9: The Indian National Army (INA) memorial complex, located on the fringes of Loktak lake, may soon become a national heritage site.

Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, who is on a two-day Manipur visit, has suggested to the state government to develop the memorial complex as a heritage site.

After landing at Imphal airport today, the minister visited the INA memorial located at Moirang in Bishnupur district, about 45km from here and its surrounding areas for an on-the-spot assessment of work undertaken under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

Appreciating the INA complex, Ramesh said the site was a very important place connected to World War II and many tourists would love to visit the place. The complex includes a museum, where remains of the war and documents are kept.

The Indian National Army first hoisted the Indian Tricolour at Moirang on April 14, 1944. Ramesh also paid floral tributes to the statue of Subhas Chandra Bose inside the complex.

Ramesh, accompanied by a team of ministers and MLAs, including the rural development minister Francis Ngajokpa, later visited Churachandpur district to inspect the development activities being undertaken there.

The Union minister’s visit comes in the wake of allegations that the two centrally sponsored programmes were not being implemented properly and funds siphoned off by those in power.

Residents of Malom recently staged a sit-in near Imphal airport alleging the MGNREGA scheme was not being implemented properly and funds were misused. Jobcard holders under the scheme had demanded an inquiry by the government into the implementation of the scheme.

While at Moirang, Ramesh expressed satisfaction with the implementation of projects under the rural employment scheme, while he said the implementation of projects under the rural road development programme was slow. He assured that enough funds would be provided for maintenance of rural roads.

After coming back to Imphal, Ramesh reviewed rural development activities here with officials of rural development and panchayat raj departments.

The minister will spend the night at the Raj Bhavan and leave for Delhi tomorrow.