State govt distributes 100 cycle rickshaws to beneficiaries

IMPHAL, Feb 7: With the main objective of enhancing income generating capacity leading to economic empowerment, the department of minorities and other backward classes (MOBC), government of Manipur distributed cycle rickshaws to 100 select beneficiaries belonging to the minorities and other backward classes under an economic development programme (EDP) for the year 2007-08.The distribution function was held at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles parade ground today with the state Governor Gurbachan Jagat as the chief guest. Md Alauddin Khan, minister for MOBC, RD and PR/FSY and M Prithiviraj Singh, MLA, graced the function as president and guest of honor respectively at the function.The Governor said that the plight of cycle rickshaw drivers and pullers of the state who could not afford to buy their own cycle rickshaws but depended on hired rickshaws would ease to some extent with the distribution of cycle rickshaws to 100 beneficiaries belonging to minority groups and 40 belonging to the OBC communities.The grant of cycle rickshaws to the poor and needy minorities and OBC rickshaw drivers would help them to a certain extent in enhancing their income generating capacity. He further said that everybody should take part in building a society free from caste and class, from exploitation of every kind, social and economic, racial and religious. The rickshaw drivers should also realise that they are contributing to the humanitarian services in society besides earning their livelihood, he added.So far, 21,008 beneficiaries who are below the poverty line have benefitted under various schemes of EDP since its inception in 1999-2000 with a total expenditure of Rs. 1,942.54 lakhs.However, some people in the city who did not take the humanitarian act kindly have said that in Imphal city rickshaws and auto-rickshaws were causing heavy congestion and the distribution of 100 more cycle rickshaws today would give more inconvenience to the traffic movement.