UKHRUL: The Tribal Youths Council Manipur (TYCM) has urged Droupadi Murmu to amend the Presidential Order governing the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) under Article 371C, stating that the existing framework has failed to deliver meaningful development in the hill areas.
In a press communique issued Thursday, TYCM said it had submitted a memorandum to the President through registered Speed Post on April 16, seeking legislative, financial and executive powers for the HAC.
The TYCM pointed out that the Presidential Order was originally issued on June 20, 1972 by V. V. Giri to safeguard the interests of tribal communities. However, more than five decades later, no amendment has been made.
Calling the existing structure “outdated,” TYCM said the HAC continues to function only in a recommendatory capacity, with no binding authority. Its recommendations, the council noted, can be accepted or rejected at the discretion of the government, limiting its effectiveness.
“The Committee does not have decision-making power. Without legislative, financial or executive authority, its role remains largely symbolic,” the statement said.
TYCM further argued that the lack of powers has directly impacted development in the hill districts, which, it said, have seen little progress since the order came into force.
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The memorandum also flagged inconsistencies in the territorial framework of the 1972 order. It noted that the classification of hill areas into Manipur North, East, West and South no longer reflects the present administrative structure, especially after the creation of new districts in 2016.
Stressing the need for balanced development, TYCM said growth in the valley alone cannot define Manipur’s progress. “The state can only move forward when hill and valley areas develop together,” it stated.
It then appealed for an amendment to Article 371C to grant the HAC substantive powers, including legislative, executive, financial and judicial authority, to better address the needs of tribal communities.
TYCM expressed hope that the President would take up the matter with urgency and consider strengthening the institutional framework for governance in the hill areas.