Economy without base
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: August 23, 2013 -

Like any other peasant economy, agriculture and allied services form the backbone of the economy of Manipur.

It is not only the main occupation of the people, but also the largest productive unit of the State's economy.

Agriculture sector alone contributes a major share of the total domestic products of the State and provides employment to more than half of its total work force.

In spite of the shrinking size in the available cultivable area from about 9.41 percent of the total geographical area of 22,327 Sq. Km not long ago to about 7.41 percent at present, the poor but hard working farmers in Manipur have been trying their best to produce foodgrain for feeding the mouth of ever increasing population of the State through adoption of newer and better methods of farming.

These are some of the facts well-known to everyone including the policy framers and executive members.

Yet, one recurring problem that the farming community in Manipur face every year, specially, at this time of the season when cultivation of paddy is to pick up momentum is the shortage of fertiliser in the market or its steep price rise in the black market, where it is normally available in plenty. Instead of working in their paddy field, farmers have to make a round of the markets or run from pillar to post just to get a bag or two of the essential fertiliser for application in their field. This is an inevitable truth that every hard working farmer in Manipur can't escape from.

Why this is happening?

This is a question which everyone (not just the farmers who work in the muddy paddy field but also the so-called intellectuals and public leaders, who could not live without two plateful of the delicious rice produced by these farmers on their dining tables every day) should ask the Government.

It is really surprising to know that in spite of the importance that agriculture and allied services play in the economy of the State, there has been no State policy for development of agricultural sector in Manipur so far.

So, in the absence of an agricultural policy, how any elected Government whose economy is essentially agrarian-base could think of moving ahead in the race for development is unthinkable.

As far as we could remember, the State Government has been maintaining that formulation of a State Agriculture policy is 'under active consideration' after the matter was first 'officially' brought up for discussion in the State Assembly in May 2007.

However, even after 6 years have passed, there has been no sign of any agricultural policy taking shape in the State nor has learnt anything from the recurring problem of shortage of fertiliser faced by the farmers during this time of the year, every year.

This goes to show how the Government of Manipur has been woefully short of its sight and vision for a welfare State.

It's no wonder, why there has been no qualitative change in the economy of the State and has remained dependent on the mercy of grant-in-aids doled out by New Delhi year after year.