Doubling farmers' income by 2022 envisaged
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 01 2018: Along with releasing State Focus Paper (SFP) 2018-19 and Area Development Schemes 2018-19, Digitisation of SHGs for e-shakti programme-Mobile Phone was launched today during "State Credit Seminar 2018-19" organised by National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), Manipur Regional Office, Lamphelpat at Classic Hotel, North AOC.

Dr Suhel Akhtar, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture); PN Praveen Kumar, GM/OIC, NABARD; T Hauzel, Chief General Manager, RBI, Manipur Sub-Office and Dr Prasanna Kumar Bal, Chairman, Manipur Rural Bank attended the seminar as the chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.

Dr Suhel Akhtar released the State Focus Paper 2018-19 while T Hauzel and Dr PK Bal launched the Area Development Schemes 2018-19 and Digitisation of SHGs for e-shakti programme-Mobile Phone respectively.

Notably, SFP 2018-19 provides a comprehensive overview of the development perspective in the State with special emphasis on "water conservation -per drop more crop" and is an aggregation of Potential Linked Credit Plans (PLPs).

Speaking at the function, Suhel Akhtar observed that the Central Government's commitment to double the income of farmers by 2022 can be achieved only when there is synergy between the State Government, banks, private sectors and farmers.

He said that the Central Government's commitment to double the farmers' income is a different approach which had never been done in the past.

He stressed on the need for proper implementation of the relevant Acts and programmes taken up by the State Government in the State in order to achieve the target of doubling the farmers' income by 2022.Manipur Agricultural Produce and Livestock Marketing Act has been passed recently in the State, he reminded.

He also said that an MoU was signed between the State Government and MSTC for e-marketing of agricultural produces from the State.

Pointing out that farmers in the State have small land holdings for agriculture, Suhel Akhtar opined that effective marketing of agricultural produces needs holdings in e-trading, larger number of aggregators and cold storage facilities in the agrigators areas.

He assured that the State Government will take up various initiatives, including for irrigation purpose in the State.

Admitting that the total agricultural credit in the State is much less than the required amount, he urged all the concerned to promote agricultural credits in the State for providing funding for agricultural producers.

He also asked the Agriculture Department to cooperate with the banks and other agencies concerned as there is a need to improve the field of information technology in relation to agricultural data base works.

The Additional Chief Secretary then conveyed that the State Government is committed to developing infrastructures in the State and help the bankers whenever they require from the Government side.

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