Imphal: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh responded to the Congress accusation of indulging in "cheap publicity," by reminding the Opposition party of the welfare programmes launched by his government and spoke of new schemes in the pipeline.

Former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh on Sunday charged that the state government was inaugurating "incomplete and almost-completed projects of the erstwhile Congress government".

Ibobi Singh was reacting to the BJP-led government's inauguration spree during its "Inauguration Fortnight" which began on March 1 and will conclude on March 15 as part of the celebrations for completion of a year of the BJP-led government.

The Biren Singh-led government came to power on March 15 last year and there are plans to celebrate the anniversary with fanfare.

"The completion of incomplete projects is very much normal. No one should be alarmed by the inauguration of schemes by the current government," Biren Singh said, without mentioning Ibobi Singh's remarks while inaugurating two health centres in Imphal East on Monday.

Speaking at the same programme, health minister L. Jayentakumar Singh termed the criticism by Ibobi Singh and other Congress leaders as "childish and immature".

After the inauguration, Biren Singh inspected the preparation for the five-day Indian Science Congress, which begins at Manipur University on March 16.

The chief minister said his government has the mandate of the people, who wanted a change. Accordingly, owing to the tireless efforts by the state government, the people have started getting "real benefits" of governance, which they were denied for the past many years.

He recalled the health scheme for the people below the poverty line, which earned him an award instituted by a national daily on March 10 and welfare schemes for persons with disabilities, besides various measures to check drug smuggling, and to fight crimes against women and to fight corruption.

Biren Singh also announced that the celebrations would continue for a month.

"The first fortnight will focus on inauguration of 116 schemes and the second fortnight is for the launch of new schemes and foundation stone-laying programmes," he said.

The chief minister announced that on March 15 he would introduce a scheme that would ensure re-enrolment of children who dropped out from school from classes I to XII.

The survey to identify these dropouts because of the parents' failure to pay admission fees, procure school uniforms, textbooks and stationary items, is in progress.

Till Sunday, 5,000 children who dropped out from classes I to XII have been identified.

Later in the day, the chief minister addressed a news conference at his office to express his happiness at the healthcare award and also to thank all staff of the state medical directorate.