Manipur plan to legalize ganja: Biren Singh government to collect feedback

IMPHAL: The Manipur cabinet on Thursday discussed the government's move to frame a policy for legalizing the cultivation of ganja ( cannabis ) for medical and industrial purposes.


It was decided that feedback for proposed ganja cultivation to that effect would be collected from the people, after which another meeting would be convened to again discuss the issue.

Last week, Biren had said that Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand have already legalised cannabis for medicinal purposes and its cultivation in Manipur for medicinal and industrial purposes would help grow the state revenue. The CM had sought advice and support from the public, civil society organisations, technical experts, intellectuals and the media for taking up the proposed project in the state.

Chaired by chief minister N Biren Singh at his office secretariat, Thursday's cabinet meeting also resolved to double the excise tax levied on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) that are shipped in the state for the Armed Forces. It also decided to implement the 6th pay commission scales for the government-aided school teachers of the state and upgrade the Senapati Aided Junior High School to a full fledged high school, sources said.

The cabinet also resolved to lease out an area of two acres at the Lamphelpat area in Imphal West for fifty years for setting up the offices of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and National Investigation Agency (NIA). Besides approving appointment to half of the 1,400 vacant posts under the tribal affairs department, the cabinet also discussed ways to increase the honorarium of Autonomous Distict Council (ADC) chairman, vice-chairmen and members and zilla parishad chairpersons, pradhan and its members.

It also decided to fill up 27 vacant posts of inspector of taxes through direct recruitment, sources added.