Imphal: United Committee Manipur (UCM), an apex body of social organisations, has decided to launch a movement demanding full autonomy of the state to achieve faster economic development and peaceful co-existence of different ethnic groups.

The decision to demand full autonomy of the state was taken at a public meeting organised by the apex body on November 4, UCM president Sapamcha Jadumani said in a statement on November 5.

The meeting, which was also attended by representatives of different tribes, discussed the frequent problems faced by the public along the national highways and the proposal to extend provisions of the sixth schedule of the Constitution to hill areas of the state.

He said the meeting also decided to fight against attempts to what he termed "Constitutionally divide" the state by extending the Sixth Schedule to the hill areas and added that the move was to break the harmonious relations of people in hills and valley.

The Sixth Schedule, under Articles 214 (2) and 275 (1), provides for the administration of tribal areas in three North Eastern states of Assam, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

PTI