Minister Letpao sets condition for setting up new villages
Source: Chronicle News Service / Kaimuanthang Mangte
CCpur, March 06 2023:
Tribal Affairs & Hills minister Letpao Haokip has appealed to village chiefs in the hill districts not to establish new village with less than 50 households.
Addressing village chiefs during an assembly of Kuki Chiefs' Association Manipur (KCAM) held at its Tuibong office, here, on Monday, Letpao talked in length about difficulties in extending government facilities and appealed to village chiefs not to set up new villages arbitrarily but ensure that the new villages, if any, have at least 50 households.
He also said that villages having less than 50 households will not be granted recognition or receive government facilities.
While highlighting economic problem faced by hill people and inability to meet education expenses of their children due to limited sources of income, Letpao Haokip said that many people in the hills resorted to poppy cultivation which somehow help them in earning sizeable income.
However, poppy cultivation led to depletion of soil fertility and forest areas, he said and strongly called for ending poppy cultivation and taking up alternative means of livelihood like plantation of horticultural crops like avocado and black berry which would fetch more income.
He also talked on importance of proper land holding to save tribal lands and keeping land records in the hills.
The KCAM assembly was also attended by Henglep MLA Letzamang Haokip and KCAM president Thonglet Haokip.
In his speech, Letzamang stated that government policies might affect traditional land holding system of tribals but there will always be a solution.