Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 05, 2009:
Commerce and Industry Minister Y Erabot today made a field inspection of the sites selected for establishment of Khadi and Village Industry (KVI) production centres of Imphal West and Thoubal districts.
The Minister visited Hiyangthang in Imphal West district and inspected the area of one acre earmarked for construction of KVI multi-disciplinary training centre there.
From Hiyangthang, Minister Erabot went to Thongjao in Thoubal district and made a spot assessment of the area covering 1.25 acres selected for establishment of a pottery production centre.
Speaking to media persons there, Y Erabot said that an amount of Rs 38.65 lakhs has been sanctioned for construction of the multi-disciplinary training centre at Hiyangthang and the pottery production centre at Thongjao.
Fifty percent of the amount is funded by the Khadi Commission while the other is funded by the State Government.
The administrative block of the training centre at Hiyangthang would have five rooms in addition to a conference hall.
Construction work of the training centre would be taken up shortly, the Minister assured.
However, for the proposed pottery production centre at Thongjao, no detail project report has been sent to the Commission.
Detail project report of the production centre would be sent to the Commission after a proper demarcation of the area earmarked for the centre is carried out, Erabot said.
Responding to a query, the Minister said that earthen and clay products have been the principal livelihood of the 100 households of Thongjao.
But the profession has been losing its profitability due to prolonged negligence of the preceding Governments.
The incumbent Government decided to establish the production centre to make the profession more productive and profitable, the Minister said.
The Minister's field visit was accompanied by officials of the Khadi and Village Industry Board.