Pension scheme for farmers call sounded
Source: The Sangai Express / Ng Liklaileima Arambam
Imphal, September 30 2022:
Highlighting that every farmer too will advance in years and won't be able to work in fields, a farmer from Laishram Mamang Leikai, Bishnupur H Shanti-kumar (51) has expressed desire for the Government to roll out a pension and insurance scheme for the farmers.
H Santikumar is among the group of farmers in Manipur who indulge in relay cropping and keep their paddy fields green throughout the year.
He said that many farmers in Manipur have been providing for their families and giving employment to many youth by engaging in farm activities despite lack of Government's initiatives and proper irrigation facilities.
Speaking to The Sangai Express, Santikumar stated that he has been planting rice and other crops at his field measuring nearly 3.5 sangams throughout the year.
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Saying that he is currently planting rice at a portion of his field (two sangam) while varieties of vegetables are being planted on the remaining land, the farmer said that he has been practising mixed and relay cropping to keep his field resourceful throughout the year.
He also said that he regularly plants peas and broad beans from January onwards after harvesting rice.
Saying that he is planting tomato, sweet corn, chilly, cucumber etc currently, Santikumar added that he plants sweet corn four times a year but it still is not enough to meet the locals' demand.
"Despite being very popular, the farmers couldn't produce enough sweet corn to meet the locals' demand, '' he added.
Further stating that farming is his full time profession, Santikumar maintained that he, at times, hire even 10 people to extend assistance in his work.
Saying that the produce is taken to markets by vendors and there is high demand for his produce, he continued that excess rainfall and occasional infestation are some of the problems he faces.
The farmer said that there is not much problem of water shortage for irrigation at Laishram Mamang Leikai, Bishnupur.
Santikumar has attended a few skill development training programmes hosted by Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal.
Maintaining that he received seeds for sweet corn, cucumber, tomato, and broccoli about two years back, Santikumar said that he now buys the seeds from the market. The biggest challenge being faced by the farmers is the unavailability of fertilizers when needed, Santikumar continued that they often procure a bag of 50kg urea from the black market at around Rs 2,000 .
He also claimed that farmers from Laishram Mamang Leikai, Bishnupur haven't received any benefit of the welfare measures taken up for farmers by the Central and State Governments.
"About two years back, Rs 2,000 was deposited to my account under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and that is the only assistance I got from the Government," he said.
The news story is written under the Media Fellowship Programme of Public Relation and Media Management Cell, CAU on Scientific Journalism in Application of Science in Agriculture.
For further information, one may contact Dr Indira Thounaojam through [email protected] .