Why should farmers pay for bureaucratic tussle?
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 28 , 2014 -

Agriculture is perhaps the only surviving economic institution of Manipur though under serious threats.

Agriculture is the largest employer of the State and it is the backbone of the State’s economy minus the annual fund allotment doled out by the Government of India.

Other industrial sectors like handloom and handicrafts often categorised as cottage industry have been already overwhelmed by imported goods.

Indigenous pottery industry is on the throes of total disappearance for the pottery items could not compete with the more durable steel, ceramic or plastic utensils.

Same is the case with handloom products of the State. Howsoever intricate, delicate, alluring the motifs are, handloom products produced in the State could not stand up to cheap mill-produced fabrics.

Weavers of the State, who happen to be predominantly females, could earn only a very marginal profit. If their labour and time factor are taken into account, weaving is no longer a profitable vocation.

Still, a large section of the State’s female populations are engaged in this age-old vocation for they have no better option.

The fate of cane and bamboo industry, another cottage industry is no better.

Cane and bamboo industry has now been constricted to making ornamental and decorative pieces. Manufacturing of cane and bamboo furniture items on commercial scale is no longer a profitable trade.

Vast majority of the population prefer cheaper furniture items made of PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) variety of plastic and steel to indigenous cane and bamboo items.

In short, plastic tools have taken the place of cane and bamboo Mora.

Whereas all indigenous industrial sectors have been strangulated without any mercy by the incessant flood of imported cheaper and/or more durable and/or better looking factory manufactured goods, no modern industrial unit worth its name is present in Manipur although it has been over 66 years since the ancient kingdom became a part of independent India.

What is left is only agriculture, more precisely paddy cultivation.

But the sad part is, the Green Revolution which dramatically transformed agricultural practices in India in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s left out Manipur.

Modern methods of agriculture are yet to be fully introduced in the State and irrigation is something which is theoretically a success but a big flop in practice.

The news report that a substantial amount (Rs 6.5 crore) sanctioned by the Government of India for implementation of the National Food Security Mission during the current financial year is likely to go waste is not surprising given the State Government’s habitual laxity when it comes to implementation of time bound schemes.

It said that the fund was released late. But we would say it is not too late.

The same amount covers a component of Rs 1.10 crore meant for organising cluster demonstration, procurement of high yielding variety seeds and hybrid seeds, grant of subsidy in procuring agricultural equipment, organising demonstration programmes etc.

Though a little late, the fund has been already released but paddy seeds which should be procured under the scheme could not be procured because of a stand-off between District Project Officers and District Agriculture Officers.

What an unsavoury joke! Bureaucratic tussle and ego clash between officers should not be at the cost of poor farmers.

Seeds procured under the scheme would be enough for 44,000 hectares of paddy fields. This is huge. These seeds have potential yield of 100,000 tonnes of paddy.

The seed sowing season is just round the corner. The higher authority must step in immediately.

The very nature of the tussle is rooted in disagreement over power sharing.

Obviously both the two groups of officers intend to have their say in implementing the scheme and hate to be left out as some sort of external agency.

A little relief to poor farmers is a big relief to the State as a whole.

Whatever you are, District Project Officers or District Agriculture Officers, you don’t have the right to rob 100,000 tonnes of paddy off toiling peasants.