Imphal: The Governments of Uttar Pradesh and Manipur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on the implementation of the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat initiative. The MoU was formalized on Thursday during a ceremony in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, organized by the Department of Tourism & Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The event was attended by Jayveer Singh, Minister of Culture & Tourism, Uttar Pradesh; Yogendra Upadhyay, Minister of Higher Education, Uttar Pradesh; and Mikesh Kumar Meshram, Principal Secretary of Tourism & Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
The Government of Manipur was represented by M. Joy Singh, IAS, Commissioner of Art & Culture, who was accompanied by G. Dharmadas Sharma, Deputy Director of Art & Culture, Manipur. The Uttar Pradesh Government was represented by Shri Ravindra Kumar, Special Secretary for Culture.
After the MoU was signed, M. Joy Singh delivered a speech outlining the importance of the collaboration. The ceremony was further enriched with performances of two traditional cultural items from Manipur—Thougal Jagoi (a folk dance) and Thang Ta (a martial dance).
The MoU will take effect immediately and remain in force for three years. It may be extended for an additional three years upon mutual written agreement by both parties. The MoU outlines a series of activities, including Cultural Exchange Programmes, aimed at fostering greater cultural understanding and cooperation between the two states.
