House okays seven more demands
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 03 2016: The State Assembly today passed seven other demands pertaining to Department of Tribal Affairs, Hills and Scheduled Caste Development, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department, Cooperation, Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary including dairy farming, Administration and Justice and Fisheries.

The total money amounted to Rs 930,32,04,000 .

Apart from drafting a Comprehensive State Pony Policy, the State Government has been working to declare Manipuri pony as a threatened species, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Minister Govindas Konthoujam stated while discussing the demands.

The modern game of polo originated from the soil of Manipur and Manipuri pony should be given full credit for this spectacular achievement.

While 70 acres of land have been acquired adjoining Ibudhou Marjing complex at Heingang, a Rs 78 crore-project has been submitted to the Government of India in order to preserve Manipuri pony.

Yet, pony is facing a critical situation as they are semi-wild by nature and have very little economic value.

The situation has been exacerbated by disappearance of wetlands.

On the other hand, the department has been giving Rs 20,000 every month to polo clubs to take care of pony.

An amount of Rs 32 lakh was granted to the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Institute in 2013-14 for the same purpose.

Govindas opined that pony preservation efforts would get a boost if horse riding is introduced at children parks and tourist spots.

In view of the porous border Manipur shares with Myanmar, the Government of India has been asked to set up quarantine check posts at different places.

This is in addition to the quarantine facility being developed at Moreh as part of the Integrated Check Post.

A Central Poultry Farm is being established at Khumbong and this can be commissioned in April while a proposal has been sent to the relevant Ministry for opening a piggery farm at Andro.

NEC has approved a Rs 13.08 crore project for opening a chicken breeding centre (hatchery) in Manipur and the amount may be sanctioned in the next financial year, Govindas said.

M Okendro declared that the National Food Security (NFS) Act would be implemented in the State from April.

Although 24,84,438 people are entitled to enjoy benefits of NFS Act, only 74 per cent of them have submitted necessary documents.

He continued that the House ought to appreciate Chief Minister O Ibobi for incorporating Rs 30 crore so that the State can produce its matching share for implementing the Act.

Although additional APL rice quotas for the Assembly segments of Thangmeiband and Thongju were not issued when there were no MLAs, other PDS items were allocated as usual, said CAF&PD Minister M Okendro.

Even though the State's monthly quota of coal is one lakh metric ton, coal has not been brought to the State since 2011.Coal transportation to the State was suspended due to interference by unwanted elements.

While discussing about the demand for Agriculture and Fishery Department, Minister Md Abdul Nasir said that the State's total agricultural land is 1.72 lakh hectare.

The State's total annual agricultural produces stands at around 5 lakh metric ton against the target of 5.89 lakh metric ton.

Even though the department is inclined to promote organic farming, the Government cannot simply ban use of pesticides and fertilizers for that would reduce crop yield.

While discussing the demand for Tribal Affairs, Hills and Scheduled Caste Development, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam maintained that no anomalies were committed in the process of selecting beneficiaries for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships.

The beneficiaries were selected by a committee headed by Principal Secretary (TAH&SC) and the selected list was put up on relevant website.

The proposal to open a separate directorate for Scheduled Caste has been forwarded to the Government as it requires additional expenditure.

Law Minister Th Debendra stated that the Additional Secretary (Law) has been taking charge of the Prosecution Director since the Director retired.

With the exception of Chandel and Tamenglong, District and Sessions Courts have been established for all the districts of the State.

This has considerable improved justice delivery system and sped up disposal of Court cases, Debendra added.

MLAs Dr I Ibohalbi, L Ibomcha, Th Shyamkumar, Kh Joykishan and Th Bishwajit took part in discussing the demands and raised policy cut motions.

Dr I Ibohalbi, L Ibomcha and Th Shyamkumar contended that there was no transparency in the Department of Tribal Affairs, Hills and Scheduled Caste Development while selecting beneficiaries for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships.

There was complete lack of transparency in schemes taken up in urban areas and it has miserably failed to take up any significant measures for development of SC people.

The department was unable to implement many Central sponsored schemes, they asserted.

Kh Joykishan and Th Bishwajit said that PDS items were not reaching targeted beneficiaries in time to the full allotted quantities.

Highlighting health hazards caused by extensive use of insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers in the agriculture sector, I Ibohalbi decried that Agriculture Department was unable to promote organic farming in the State.

The Fishery Department has so far done nothing to improve the State's fish productivity.

Th Shyamkumar questioned if the State has any concrete policy for rehabilitation and preservation of Manipuri ponies.

L Ibomcha remarked that shortage of technical officers and prosecutors in the Directorate of Prosecution has been delaying criminal prosecution in the State.

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