Imphal, July 22: A seven-member delegation of the Tribal Youth Council Manipur (TYCM), led by President Momo Tantanga, met with the Governor of Manipur, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, at the Raj Bhavan on July 21, 2025, at 12:30 PM.
During the meeting, the delegation submitted a six-point Charter of Demands concerning the rights and welfare of hill tribal communities in Manipur. The Governor assured the delegation that he would take up all issues at the earliest. While acknowledging that amending the Presidential Order of 1972 and the Manipur (Village Authorities in Hill Areas) Act, 1956 may take time, he promised to make every possible effort
TYCM noted that the 1972 Presidential Order, issued under Article 371C for the Hill Areas Committee (HAC), has remained unchanged for 53 years and lacks legislative, financial, and executive powers, rendering HAC ineffective. They stressed that unequal development and outdated laws are key causes of unrest and neglect in hill tribal regions. TYCM also highlighted that, unlike other tribal-dominated states, Manipur has no dedicated Minister for Tribal Welfare, making it necessary to empower the HAC and its Chairman.
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They also raised concerns about the 1956 Act, which has not been amended for 69 years and lacks funding, salaried staff, or honorariums for Village Authority members, leaving grassroots governance under-resourced and ineffective.
TYCM’s Six-Point Charter of Demands:
1. Amend Presidential Order (1972): Grant HAC legislative, financial, and executive powers; designate its Chairman as tribal welfare authority; and establish a fully staffed HAC Secretariat.
2. Amend Village Authorities Act (1956): Introduce Village Development Fund, appoint salaried staff, provide honorarium and sitting allowances, and frame operational rules.
3. Complete Infrastructure Projects: Expedite all ongoing road and development works in hill tribal areas.
4. Address Staff Shortages: Fill vacancies in the Directorate of Tribal Affairs & Hills, Tribal Research Institute (TRI), and Manipur Tribal Development Corporation Ltd. (MTDC).
5. Regularise Contractual Staff: Confirm the services of employees under the Manipur State Commission for Scheduled Tribes (MSCST).
6. Pay ADC Staff Arrears: Recommend payment of 7th Pay Commission arrears (April 2019 – March 2023) to Autonomous District Council employees.
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TYCM further noted that nearly 75% of the hill tribal areas have seen no significant development or change since the enforcement of the Order. They stated that unequal development is the root cause of prolonged chaos, reluctance, and lack of confidence in governance and society.
They also pointed out that as per Article 164 of the Indian Constitution, other tribal-dominated states have a Minister in charge of tribal welfare, but Manipur does not. TYCM therefore proposed that the Chairman of HAC be designated as the tribal welfare authority in the State.
They stressed the importance of empowering Village Authorities to enable local development and asked: “If there is no development at the village level, how can the nation be developed? And how can we call it a developed nation when it’s villages remain underdeveloped?”
TYCM emphasized that without structural reforms, meaningful tribal development remains impossible. They urged the Governor and the Centre to take urgent and decisive action in the interest of justice, equality, and constitutional responsibility.