CHIEF MINISTER’S SECRETARIAT: IMPHAL
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PRESS RELEASE
AGRICULTURE IS THE MAINSTAY OF STATE’S ECONOMY: GOVERNOR
Imphal, April 18, 2018 (DIPR): Governor Smt. Najma Heptulla has said that reduction in food production requires urgent technological intervention to make agriculture sustainable, competitive and economically viable in the State.
She was speaking at the valedictory function of the “One-day State Level Workshop on Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture for Doubling of Farmers’ Income” at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound, Imphal East today.
She said that agriculture based small scale industries and food processing units may hold the key in this regard and need to be encouraged.
The Governor said that agriculture and allied activities are the mainstay of the Manipur’s economy as about 70 per cent of the people depend on it. Industrial growth in the State is very insignificant and the growth of agriculture in the State also has been quite uneven and unsatisfactory for the reason that its production still depends on seasonal rainfall, she added.
In spite of rapid advancement in crop productivity, the faster rate of population growth poses a great problem to agriculture in the State, she said while adding that occurrence of late monsoon, untimely floods, lack of availability of quality planting materials, fertilizer, diesel during the peak season, lack of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, credit, marketing infrastructure are some of the constraints faced by the farmers of the State.
Manipur is topographically, climatically and culturally distinct from the mainland of the country. Manipur, well known as a little paradise on earth is endowed with salubrious climate, varied habitat, luxuriant forest and rich cultural heritage, she said while adding that the pluralistic society, encompassing various faiths, religions, languages and ethnic groups is a unique characteristic of the State.
The people, particularly the youth of the State are resourceful, energetic, yet the challenges are many, the Governor said while adding that there are no big industries, thereby limiting the creation of employment opportunities for the ever increasing unemployed youths of the State.
Stating that lack of connectivity and short working season are constraints on the economic development of the State, Smt. Heptulla said that the State is still lagging far behind other States of India in terms of availability of infrastructure for social and economic development.
The Governor said, “In this 21st Century, we are strategizing to be more practical in our approach to identify potential sector for improving economic condition of the people and solving the unemployment problem which is a major issue in the State.”
Manipur being under the Himalayan Biodiversity Hotspot and Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, supports a unique and diverse vegetation, consisting of 450 species of orchids, 54 species of bamboo and 513 species of medicinal and aromatic plants, she added while adding that these species play a significant role in the ecology and economy of the State.
Maintaining that Loktak Lake, whose role is crucial in maintaining eco-balance in the State is slowly dying due to large scale pollution and choking by heavy growth of ‘Phumdi’, Smt. Heptulla said that the lake needs cleaning up on priority.
She further said that the precious bio-resources of the State are State heritage that needs to be protected and adequately utilized in a sustainable manner.
Further, in order to ensure conservation of these important bio-resources for posterity, initiation of systematic works on characterization, evaluation and utilization of these bio-resources is the need of the hour and must be taken up without further delay, she added.
It is timely that the Government of India, in the Union budget 2016-17 had announced its resolution to double the income of farmers by 2022. In sync with the decision of Government of India, the State Government has begun its works on developing strategies to double the income of farmers’ by 2022, the Governor said.
She said, “I am delighted to learn that the State Government has actively initiated works in consultation with various line departments, Central Agricultural University, ICAR, Bank and other stakeholders and approved the draft strategies for Doubling of Farmers’ income in the state of Manipur by 2022. I believe that the workshop would have addressed issues pertaining to policies and practices for timely and successful impl 22 18/04/2018
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