Ram Muivah IAS (Retired), has had an exceptional journey as an Indian bureaucrat with his impeccable contribution to the communities of the nation, Northeast region, and his home state Manipur, proving wrong the classic cliché that bureaucrats are often touted as people who are wary of innovations with little care about the community.
There are people who actually walk-the-talk – such people are rare to find. It’s certainly even more rarer to find ‘promises made,’ fulfilled. The number of works and projects Ram Muivah has delivered under his visionary and foresight career, in his long and fruitful 35 years of service, for the larger interest of the people and welfare of the nation has made Ram Muivah one such well-known name in the region and Manipur state, especially the district that he comes from, Ukhrul.
It may not be wrong to say that, one of the notable bureaucrats the Tangkhul Naga community has ever produced so far is Ram Muivah IAS (Retired) from Manipur’s Ukhrul district. Ram Muivah was born in Shokvao village but his upbringing was in Muirei village since 1967.
He has worked in various capacities both in Central Government (GoI) as well as in the state Government for 35 years including the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of DoNER, for GoI.
Ram Muivah was the Secretary of the North Eastern Council from 2015-2019 (October). Over 400 projects were completed in the eight Northeast states within his four years in office.
Here we look at some of his significant projects:
Power Sub-stations, Power Transmission Lines, Transformer, Roads, Setting up of Institutions, etc.
Feathers on his hat:
As Director and later as Joint Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services 2001 and 2006 & Joint Secretary and CVO, CPWD, Ministry of Urban Development, GoI, 2006-2008.
Ram has actively participated in the Trade Negotiations (2002-2006) of India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA); the first free trade Agreement of the Country, India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Committee Meetings, India-EU Strategic Partnership Meetings, Joint Working Group Meeting on Trade of India-Bangladesh, Composite Dialogue Meeting of India-Pakistan & Indo-US Trade Policy Forum Meeting.
Ram was responsible for supervising of Management of PSBs and FIs, Preparation of Legislative matters- The Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Bill, 2004, Financial Companies Regulation Bill and asset Reconstruction Companies Bill; matters relating to Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India, Revised the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2005, etc.
Ram was the Chairman of Project Working Group of Technical Assistance (TA3943-IND) by ADB to GoI, for setting up of Asset Reconstruction Companies (ARCs) and Convener for another ADB TA-3866_IND for India to enable improve access to secure credit based on movable property for enterprises and setting up of Electronic Central Registry in India for movable properties. He served on the Board of Directors of United Bank of India and Indian Bank from 2001-2006.
In 2008, Ram returned to Manipur and held several positions including Principal Secretary Works, Transport, Health & Family Welfare and Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture, etc. He played a key role in the construction of the Capital Complex (Assembly Secretariat, High Court Buildings; Civil Secretariat, City Convention Centre, Imphal) and construction of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JINMS), Imphal.
Major arterial roads in the capital city Imphal were widened to 4 to 6 lanes and thousands of Bokul & Ornamental Ficus trees were planted that line of the roads during this period. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) was reduced to10 per thousand- the best in the country during this period. For which India Today Group Awarded Manipur the best performing state in Health.
He had also served as Additional Secretary Finance & Commissioner of Taxes (1994-1996), Secretary & Special Secretary Cabinet & Confidential, Taxation, Excise, Food & Civil Supplies, Social Welfare, and more. From 1996 to 1999, and between 2008 to 2009, he served as Commissioner & Secretary of Science & Technology and IT. He was awarded Commendation Certificate for his outstanding contributions in the 5th National Games, 1999.
Ram participated in the World Bank Conference on Credit Bureau Development in South Asia in Colombo, Sri Lanka from May 20 to11 in 2004 and presented a paper entitled ‘Credit Information & Banking Environment in India. He has delivered talks at the National Institute of Finance & Accounts, New Delhi and the National Institue of Entrepreneurship, Noida on financial inclusion and microfinance.
He received professional training on Policy Formulation at London in 1999, Economic Development at the European Institute of Public Administration, Barcelona in 2000, Banking Crisis at IMF Institute, Singapore 2002 & 2004, Financial Industry Information System at FISC, Tokyo 2002, and Mid Career Training of IAS Officers in New York and Washington, 2014.
He was awarded Digital Leader Award by the Indian Express Group on 23rd November 2018 for his outstanding e-governance initiatives implemented at NEC, and the Indian Green Building Council (1GB C) GOLD award, amongst others.
Ram’s Contributions in Manipur:
As Director and later Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance 2001-2006 and 2006-2008 in the Ministry of Urban Development, his contributions were RBI Currency Chests in Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Kakching and Jiribam. Thereafter only these bank branches could be converted into treasury banks which was a great relief to the concerned Districts and the people. These were executed despite stiff opposition by IB & MHA. He expressed his gratefulness to the senior colleagues in MOF and RBI. Luckily while he was posted in Banking Division (Now DFS) in MoF there was a move to fill up a backlog of ST quota in EXIM Bank. He was instrumental in recruiting about 11 girls (10 Tangkhul & 1 Paite) into EXIM Bank all through written tests and interviews. He arranged education loans to study abroad for quite a few students from Manipur; also helped in the transfer and posting of Bank staff and officers from Manipur. As Chief Vigilance Officer in CPWD 2006-2008, he was able to help in getting suitable accommodation to a few staff and officers who faced difficulties.
He worked as Principal Secretary in Manipur from 2008-2014. His contributions were in the development of physical infrastructure.
Some of the significant achievements in Manipur were:
Manipur Legislative Assembly building; High Court building; City Convention Centre, Ima Market both Block A&B; widening of arterial roads in Imphal city: 4 landing from Imphal to Canchipur, Imphal City Centre Hathi Chowk to Thangmeiband via Nagamapal, BoC to Mantripukri, Sogalband to Oriental college on NH 37 and 6-lane from Keishamthong to Airport.
Ram Muivah said, “In the Hill Districts, my most satisfying contribution was converting 5 roads into NH:
- Tadubi to Tengnoupal via Tolloi, Ukhrul, Shanghai, Phungyar and Kasom Khullen as NH 102A,
- Maram to Medziphima, 3. Khongsang to Tamenglong,
- Pallel to Chandel and
- Churachandpur to Singzawl.
In the valley from Keishampat to Kakching via Mayang Imphal. Double lining of NH 202 from Finch Corner to Dungrei.”
As Secretary NEC, in 2015-2019 under his leadership, they sanctioned about 82 projects to Manipur state out of which about 20 numbers were in Ukhrul & Kamjong Districts.
Some of them were:
1)Kamjong to Kongkanthana road Rs. 147.29 Crores,
2) Industrial estate at TM Kasom Rs.12.31 Crores,
3) Nursing School at Leishiphung,
4) Ukhrul RS 11.02 Crores,
5) Khashimla Women Market Dungrei,
6) Ukhrul Rs. 13.96 Crores, 7) Incubation Centre for skill development,
8) Wino Bazar Ukhrul Rs. 13 Crores,
9) Duncan Park Somsai Rs. 8.6 Crores,
10) Shirui Lily Laboratory Rs. 11.51 Crores,
11) Science centre Dungrei Ukhrul Rs. 8.02 Crores,
12) Modern library building at Pettigrew college Ukhrul Rs. 2.27 Crores,
13) Eco-Tourism at Shokvao Ukhrul Rs. 5.33 Crores,
14) Ramrei Water Supply Rs. 14.95 Crores,
15) Pick up weir dam at Hungpung Rs. 3.80 Crores,
16) Resource Centre Ukhrul Rs. 4.90 Crores,
17) Cane & Bamboo training Center Ukhrul Rs. 7.00 Crores,
18) Thoubal to Kasom Khullen road was sanctioned when he was posted as Principal Secretary. It was funded under ADB (Asian Development Bank) amounted to Rs. 203 Crores.
19) Wayside Amenities on NH 202 Ukhrul District Rs. 6 Crores,
20) Re-carpeting of Mahadev-Tolloi road Rs. 10.00 Crores sanctioned in Butwo instalments,
21) Indoor Stadium at Somdal Rs. 4.00 Crores under CSR of REC,
22) Jalenbung to Khezakeno (Nagaland) was approved under the NERDS program but yet to be sanctioned,
23) Futsal AstroTurf at Langdang was sanctioned under the CSR of AAI ( Airport Authority of India). A little less than 2 Crores,
24) Resource Centre was subsequently revised to 6.5 Crores,
25) NEC gave sponsor financially to Northeast Tamchon Trophy through him and
26) The first pilot centre for CML TATA Trust Grassroots Football Development Centre was initiated and brought by him to Patkai Christian Academy.
Various other sports infrastructures are also on the way through him. “IAS Officers can be the protector of the less fortunate and I believe it throughout my service of 35 years,” concludes Ram Muivah.
By
Phungchamnao Ranreiphi Kharei, Khathing Ronrei
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