Make in Manipur begins under Aspire scheme
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, August 31 2016: Under ASPIRE, a scheme for promotion of innovation, rural industry and entrepreneurship, the Government of India has sanctioned 22 Livelihood Business Incubators (LBIs), out of which 9 LBIs have been sanctioned in Manipur at a total cost of Rs 792.48 lakh.

These 9 LBIs, one in each of nine Districts of Manipur, are going to play a crucial role in the Make in Manipur initiative.

In addition one rapid Incubation Centre is being set up by the National Small Industries Corporation Ltd (NSIC) in Imphal.

By availing the facilities provided by these Incubators, people can get themselves trained in their chosen trades and become a successful entrepreneur.

The State Government is also setting up one Common Facility Centre (CFC) at the cost of Rs 15 crore each in every district to provide manpower training to the farmers and other related infrastructures so that they can avail these opportunities for manufacturing their own products.

Diagnostic Study Reports have already been accepted by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of Inida and necessary DPRs have been submitted.

These CFCs will be area specific, that is, it will basically be based on the availability of raw materials in the respective district.

The proposed CFCs are : Floriculture (Dry flowers, cut flowers, aromatic & medicinal plants, etc) in Senapati district; bamboo processing (bamboo shoot manufacturing and other bamboo-based handicraft items) in Chandel; spices processing in Churachandpur; fruit processing Tamenglong; food processing (lemon, orange, passion fruit, spices, chili, etc) in Ukhrul; Pineapple processing in Imphal East; plastic processing in Imphal West; fish processing in Bishnupur and Kauna processing in Thoubal district.

Entrepreneurship in aromatic & medicinal plants has a tremendous potential in Manipur.

The State being the gateway to South East Asian has its advantage on its own if the medicinal plants found in Manipur is grown on a large scale, processed, packed and sold either in India or abroad.

This can minimise the problem of unemployment to a certain extend.

M/S Manipur Food Industries Corporation Ltd (MFICL), an undertaking of the Department of Commerce & Industries, Manipur has worked out a model where farmers grow medicinal and aromatic plants on their land with financial assistance from banks and planting material supplied by MFICL with a buy back policy.

For processing and value addition, Livelihood Business Incubators have been established in every District Industries Centre.

To facilitate supply of planting materials, Gene Bank has been developed at Chothe village in Bishnupur district.

MFICL is targeting a total area of 5000 acre in the first phase all over the State for plantation of medicinal and aromatic plants, more particularly stevia, lemon grass, ginger and turmeric and aims to generate employment of atleast 2000 persons on a sustainable basis.

The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) scheme was newly introduced in 2015-16 by merging all other general handloom schemes.

Under this scheme, Clusters will be set up at Block level, having concentration of handlooms at the cost of Rs 2 crore each.

In a Block, more than one cluster may be taken up depending upon need-base with respect to the number of handlooms.

The scheme has many sub-components, like, baseline survey/diagnostic study, consortium building, raw material, design development, product diversification, infrastructure (CFC), publicity & marketing, basic input, skill upgradation, construction of worksheds, solar lighting system, engagement of Cluster Development, Textile Designer-Cum- Marketing Executive and project management.

The objectives of the scheme are to follow need based approach for integrated and holistic development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers.

To support weavers, both within and outside the cooperative fold including self help groups, NGOs etc.

towards raw material, design inputs, technology up-gradation and marketing, the scheme will organise exhibitions, create permanent infrastructure in the form of Urban Haats, marketing complexes, set up Weavers Service Centre (WSCs) and develop web portal for e-marketing of handloom products etc.

Government of India has approved and sanctioned 10 numbers of Block Level Handloom Clusters in each district of Manipur in 2015-16 at a total project cost of Rs 16 crore to cover a target of 18500 weavers of Manipur.

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