IMPHAL, July 25: The objectives of total decentralization of powers to the hills districts by maintaining local self governing bodies has come to life in the hill districts of the state following the holding of elections to the District Councils in all the five hill districts of the state including the Sadar Hills Kangpokpi after two decades.

In fact, the recent holding of election to the District Councils including the Sadar Hills despite strong objections from some Naga bodies in demand for rectification of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Third Amendment) Act, 2008 have been completed though the process of handing over of the powers to the elected members is yet to be initiated.

Mention may be made that there are six Autonomous District Councils in the state including Autonomous District Council of Senapati, Sadar Hills Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Tamenglong and Chandel.
In the meantime, the District Councils have been under supersession and the administration of the Councils have been entrusted to the concerned Deputy Commissioner of the district and additional DC in the case of the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council.

Supersession of the Chandel district was started from March 18, 1989, Churachandpur ADC on November 23, 1993, Tamenglong ADC on 17 October, 1988, Sadar Hill ADC on October, 17, 1998,  Senapati ADC on November 23, 1993 and supersession of Ukhrul ADC came to life on October 17 1998.

The annual administrative reports of the ADCs, Manipur Hills Department for the year 2009-10 mentioned that as the District Councils are under supersession, the DC of Chandel, Churachandpur, Tamenglong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Addl DC, Kangpokpi have been functioning as chairman (Ex-Officio Chairman) of the District Council and the Chief Executive Officer are assisting the DC in the functioning of the District Councils till the end of entire election procedures for the ADC which were completed in the state recently.

The Annual Report of the department further mentioned that notification of the District Council Delimitation has been published during September last year in Extra Ordinary Gazette of Manipur, the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council (Election of members) Rules, 2009 has been published on October 10 last year in the  Extra Ordinary Gazette on October 10 last year.

The annual report of the department further mentioned that a total of Rs 8,50,00,000 has been allocated under Plan and Rs. 5296.90 lakhs under Non-Plan during the financial year 2010-11.

On the other hand, for the effective administration of the ADCs of the state, the recruitment process for filling up of 3176 posts of Primary Teachers under Six ADCs has been completed and of the total vacancies of 3453 posts 8 percent i.e. 5 percent  for appointment under Die-in-harness scheme and 3 percent for Persons with Disability (PWD) totaling 277 posts had been set aside for appointment to these categories, the annual report of the department said.