State Level Pine-Apple Festival Leaves Many Planters Sore With Only Certificates To Show
Farmers feel short changed at 'their festival' by glamour
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 02 2012: The fifth annual State Level Pine-apple festival which concluded yesterday with a beauty contest christened Pine-apple Queen Contest, has left many farmers a disappointed lot.

Whereas title winners of the beauty contest were felicitated with handsome cash rewards, pine-apple farmers who took part in the festival were rewarded with simple certificates though the festival was specifically organised to promote pine-apple cultivation.

This left many of the participants with a sore feeling and it is feared that the number of pine-apple farmers taking part in the festival would go down next year.

Some of the farmers who took part in the festival rued that more importance seems to have been placed on the entertainment programme rather than on the farmers who produced the pine-apples.

Home Minister Gaikhangam graced the morning session of the function as chief guest, IFC Minister Ngamthang Haokip as president and RD&PR Minister Francis Ngajokpa as functional president.

Horticulture Minister Gaikhangam greets a farmer and inset the beauty queens

MLA Y Surchandra, MLA Yamthong Haokip, MLA Victor Keishing and 33rd Assam Rifles CO Col N Bharadwaj were also present as guests of honour.

Speaking at the occasion, Gaikhangam lamented that MGNREGS has become a a bone of contention among the people though it was tended to provide employment to unemployed people.

In their bid to take control of MGNREGS fund, leaders at grassroots level have been sparring against each other.

Pointing out that MGNREGS is not something permanent, Gaikhangam appealed to all the people to extract maximum benefits for common welfare of people when it is being implemented.

Taking serious note of the dwindling work culture, Gaikhangam asserted that it is not only pine-apple but many produces of the State which are qualitatively better than produces of other States.

He also called upon all to identify the best produces of the State and work collectively to export them.

Later, Gaikhangam visited the pineapple stalls opened at the festival.

He also assured assistance to the pine-apple farmers from the side of State Government.

The chief guest also felicitated the pine-apple farms which produced the maximum quantities of pineapples.

Taoboi, Chongthem and Shanglung, all belonging to Bunglon village, Churachandpur district were adjudged the best three pine-apple growers.

The evening session was graced by PHE Minister I Hemochandra, Works Minister Dr Kh Ratankumar and MLAs as presidium members.

The evening session featured a number of entertainment programmes and it concluded with the Pine-apple Queen Contest which was won by Yambem Pushparani of Uripok Tourangbam Leikai.

She was given a cash prize of Rs 50,000 .

The first and second runners-up titles were won by Panky Hawaibam of Lilong Chajing and Chingkam Chongloi and they got Rs 40,000 and Rs 30,000 respectively.