Imphal: The Manipur Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, on Friday approved the recruitment of 764 personnel for the Manipur State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM) and adopted new regulations governing app-based ride-hailing services.
The annual salary expenditure is estimated at Rs 25.74 crore, to be shared between the Centre and the state in a 90:10 ratio.
Sources close to the Chief Minister said the recruitment drive would fill 637 contractual and 127 casual vacancies to address staff shortages at the district level across all 70 blocks. Of the total posts, 708 had received prior approval in 2021, while 56 were newly added.
Officials said the recruitment would support rural women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and advance the Lakhpati Didi initiative.
The National Mission Management Unit under the Union Ministry of Rural Development would select the contractual staff, while the respective Deputy Commissioners would recruit casual workers locally. To facilitate candidates, the Cabinet decided to hold examinations at accessible locations.
In a separate decision, the Cabinet adopted the Manipur Motor Vehicles Aggregator Rules, 2026, bringing platforms such as Uber, Ola and Rapido under a formal regulatory framework. The move followed concerns that several cabs were operating without departmental approval.
Under the new rules, aggregators would be required to obtain licences, verify drivers, maintain vehicle fitness and ensure transparent fares to prevent arbitrary pricing.
Drivers associated with these platforms would also receive Rs 1 lakh in health insurance and Rs 3 lakh in term insurance.
To encourage operators to enter the state, the government fixed licence fees and security deposits below the rates prescribed under Central guidelines, with the aim of expanding commuter options and increasing state revenue.