DAOs asked to submit detailed reports
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 24 2019: Following the decision of the State Cabinet to recommend to the Centre to declare Manipur as a drought hit State, the Agriculture Department has deliberated on the prevailing condition of the farmers and crops in various areas of the State, mainly the hill districts, apart from directing the District Agricultural Officers (DAOs) to submit a report on every possible steps to be taken up to ease the inconveniences and problems faced by the farmers and people.

DAOs asked to submit detailed reports

During a meeting conducted at the Agriculture office at Sanjenthong today which was participated by Agriculture Department Commissioner M Joy Singh, Director (in-charge) A Subhash Singh and Joint Director L Irabot Singh as well as various DAOs and officials, ways to increase the income of the farmers of the State under the initiative of Transformation for Indian Agriculture, were also discussed.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Commissioner Joy said that information was collected from the DAOs concerned regarding the condition of the farmers and crops at their respective districts so as to plan necessary steps to ease the problems faced by the people due to lack of rainfall.

Joy continued that in the meeting, the DAOs informed that almost half of the total jhum cultivation in the hill districts will probably survive and the remaining half can be saved if proper irrigation is provided with the help of pump sets.

Informing that pumps have been ordered from outside the State due to low stock of such pumps in the market, the Commissioner said that the pumps will most probably reach Manipur sometime this week.

The DAOs have been instructed to identify the suitable areas and to calculate the required amount of pumps and to submit a report to the Department at the earliest, he added.

Joy stated that the DAOs were also instructed to identify the crops which cannot be saved despite taking up necessary measures and to instead look for alternative crops which can be planted in the said areas.

Speaking about the vision of PM Narendra Modi to double the income of the farmers, Joy said that a Central Committee was constituted on July 1 with the aim of bringing transformation to the Agriculture sector of the country.

Under the said Central Committee, a committee has also been set up for the North East region with Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu as the Chairman, he said adding that the first meeting of the committee will be held on August 2.Pointing out that feedbacks have been sought from the authority concerned to table during the said meeting, Joy said that some of the issues to be brought up in the committee meeting were also deliberated and identified during the meeting at Sanjenthong today.

On the other hand, Manipur Small Farmers' Agri Business Consortium (MSFAC) project coordinator MS Khaidem said that the Agriculture Department has started supplying paddy to the people of Thoubal at the rate of Rs 500 per sangam, with the help of the community nursery at KVK Thoubal.