Manipur cabinet clears 764 rural posts, adopts taxi rules

Imphal: The Manipur Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, approved the recruitment of 764 personnel for the Manipur State Rural Livelihoods Mission (MSRLM) and adopted new regulations for app-based ride-hailing services on Friday, Northeast Now reported.

Recruitment to fill rural mission vacancies

The cabinet decision seeks to address staff shortages at the district level across all 70 blocks. Of the 764 posts, 637 are contractual vacancies and 127 are casual vacancies. Officials said that 708 of the positions had received prior approval in 2021, while 56 were newly added in the current plan. The annual salary outlay for the new posts is estimated at Rs 25.74 crore, with the cost to be shared between the Centre and the state in a 90:10 ratio.

The recruitment drive is intended to support rural women’s Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and to advance the Lakhpati Didi initiative, which aims to improve income generation for women in villages. The National Mission Management Unit under the Union Ministry of Rural Development will handle the selection of contractual staff, while the respective Deputy Commissioners will recruit casual workers locally. To make the process accessible, the cabinet decided to hold examinations at locations that are easy for candidates to reach.

New framework for app-based taxi operators

In a separate resolution, 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 follows concerns that several cabs were operating without departmental approval. Under the new rules, aggregators must obtain licences, verify drivers, maintain vehicle fitness and ensure transparent fares to prevent arbitrary pricing.

The regulations also provide social security benefits for drivers. Each driver associated with the approved platforms will receive health insurance coverage of Rs 1 lakh and term insurance of Rs 3 lakh. To encourage operators to enter the state, the government fixed licence fees and security deposits at levels below those prescribed under Central guidelines. The intention is to expand commuter options for residents and to increase state revenue from regulated ride-hailing services.

Expected impact and implementation

By filling the 764 vacancies, the state expects improved delivery of livelihood programmes at the block level, especially for women’s SHGs. The shared salary burden reflects the Centre’s commitment to rural development while allowing the state to manage a substantial portion of the workforce cost. Simultaneously, the aggregator rules aim to bring order to the rapidly growing app-based transport sector, ensuring that operators comply with safety, insurance and pricing standards. The cabinet’s dual focus on employment generation and transport regulation signals a coordinated approach to address both rural development challenges and urban mobility needs.