Ukhrul | December 22: Although Christmas is just around the corner, this year is seeing fewer shoppers in Ukhrul town, Manipur state, as compared to those in the previous years.
One of the main reasons is the failure of the Manipur Government to release departmental salaries and MNREGS wages. As a result, Ukhrul United Bank of India (UBI), the transaction bank for the district administration has run dry due to not coming to remittance up to December.
According to the official sources from the UBI as well as the Ukhrul district administration, the administration had officially sent intimation for remittance arrangements. Again, the district administration sent a reminder to the Manipur Home department on December 21. However, until date the remittance is yet to arrive.
There are also scores of reports that sanctioned checks for the MGNREGS wages for various villages cannot be cashed due absence of remittance for Ukhrul. This is creating tremendous hardships for the people in the district where there are more than 300 villages, all anticipating Christmas celebrations and New Year. Christmas shopping spree in Ukhrul town used to be hectic usually but this time shoppers are in considerably low numbers.
An official source, however, said that the Ukhrul remittance would be arriving ‘within a day or two before Christmas Eve.’
