Initiative to enhance 'Phabou' production soon: Dingo
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 05 2024: Acknowledging the huge amount of money drained out of the state in procuring Phabou Nga (pool barb) for making Ngari (Utongnga), fisheries minister Heikham Dingo has said that the department will launch special initiative to enhance production of the fish species in the state.

Replying to posers raised by opposition member Okram Surjakumar during, discussion on demand for grants for fisheries department amounting to Rs 89,95,38,000 in Monday's session of the state assembly, minister Dingo conceded that the state depends on fish brought in from other states as local yield could not meet the demands.

Informing that the government is taking up initiatives to reduce the dependency with schemes to enhance local fish production, he cited recent success of Sareng culture as a major achievement in this regard.

The minister also acknowledged huge amount spent in procuring Phabou Nga for making fermented fish, one of the most important kitchen ingredients of the people in the state and assured the House that the department will form a panel of scientists, resource persons and economists to promote and enhance production of the fish species to reduce the import volume.

On the other hand, during discussion on demand for grants for social welfare .department amounting to Rs 1109,29,57,000, opposition's Th Lokeshwar moved a policy cut motion highlighting deprivation of old age pension benefits of many eligible individuals and the government's failure to run Anganwadi centres effectively.

In response, Dingo said that old age pensions are provided under two schemes - one funded by Centre and the other by the state government.

There were 45,905 beneficiaries in 2017 and today the total number of beneficiaries has been increased by 20,833.He attributed spike in number of beneficiaries to schemes like Go to Village.

There were several ineligible beneficiaries but the BJP government weeded out those ineligible beneficiaries.

The state government spends Rs 20,14,68,000 crore annually towards paying old age pension.

Moreover, over 17,000 beneficiaries are in line for addition, he said while assuring coverage of more eligible people under the scheme.

Dingo further said that under the new guidelines, construction of Anganwadi Centres will converge with MGNREGA for which Social Welfare Department will foot the bill amounting to Rs 2 lakh while MGNREGA will bear Rs 8 lakh per centre and the DC concerned will oversee the work.

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