Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh said he will not spare officials who wrongly register data in the socio-economic caste census 2011, as many needy people and deserving households were found left out while well-to-do families were included in the report.

He said because of this irregularity, many genuine families are not able to avail of benefits under government schemes.

Biren said about 37 per cent of the total population of the state is still below the poverty line (BPL) despite huge funds being invested to uplift the needy.

He said the government had started taking steps for constituency-wise re-survey of genuine households to enrol them in the report.

The government has requested the Centre to allow fresh enrolment of genuine families in the Census database and discard all incorrect entries, Biren Singh said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the combined Meeyamgi Numit (People’s Day) and Hill Leaders’ Day function at the secretariat on Saturday.

Responding to a query regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) filed against holding of Meeyamgi Numit and Hill Leaders’ Day, he said it is embarrassing for the state to witness such an instance and that elected leaders need to interact with the people and attend to their grievances.

The PIL was filed by advocate Moirangthem Ibohal Singh stating that the act of organising Hill People’s Day and Meeyamgi Numit went against the rules of business. The court order said the petitioner was “trying to make a mountain out of a molehill”.

Hill People’s Day and Meeyamgi Numit has been organised since May 2017, two months after the formation of the new government in Manipur.

To mark the occasions, Biren Singh attended to over 400 complaints and met around 1,200 people.

Regarding the strike by senior residents of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, the chief minister appealed to the doctors to call off the agitation and said the government is ready to fulfil any demand permissible under the rules and regulations.

The resident doctors have been demanding promotion of all eligible senior resident doctors and appointment of new assistant professors. They are seeking cancellation of open direct recruitment till all eligible candidates are adjusted in the next higher post.

On the requirement of fire stations in different parts of the state, Biren Singh said the government had submitted a Rs 260-crore proposal to the Centre for the establishment of more stations and recruitment of manpower.