Manipur govt allots land areas for setting up of two universities

NNN
Imphal, May 2

The state government of Manipur has finally allotted lands for the setting up of two new universities in the state. The two universities are the Manipur University of Culture and the Sports University. Also, the Governor of Manipur has approved the recent Bill passed by the Manipur Legislative Assembly for the establishing the Manipur University for Culture.For the cultural university, the government has allotted areas of Koutruk and Senjam Khunou under Lamsang sub-division of Imphal West. A total area of 158.47 acres including 140.28 acres of Koutruk village and 18.19 acres of Senjam Khunou has been allotted to the Art and Culture Department. An order regarding this allotment has been notified by the Revenue Department on April 25. It may be mentioned that locals of these two villages had been appealing the state government to set up the controversial Sports University in their area.
With this development, the Art and Culture Department has taken up arrangements to immediately start classes with the available infrastructures at the department complex for the time being. Moreover, state government has decided to take up steps to appoint faculty, other staff and required resources for the setting up of the Manipur University of Culture at the earliest.
On the other hand, despite of the interruptions from various sections of the public regarding the plan to set up the Sports University at Yaithibi Loukol, the state government has finally allotted 315 acres of land of Yaithibi Loukol (Thoubal district) for the setting up of this university, thereby putting rest to all the controversies. The university will be set up by the Government of India as a central university. Out of these total land area, 66.75 acres is from khasland areas, and the remaining 248. 25 acres are from land owners who have shown their willingness to give up the land. They will be compensated duly in the approved government rates, however. With the allotment of the necessary land areas, department concerned has started soil testing to the site for the earliest construction of the complex.
For the meantime, the temporary complex may be set up at the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex, said a reliable source.
It may be mentioned that the Narendra Modi government had announced the plan to set up the Central Sports University as a part of the Special Package Programme. For this project, 100 crore rupees is being earmarked from the Central budget of 2015-16.