MDS set up to generate employment in rural areas
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, July 27 2016: The Manipur Development Society (MDS) was set up to generate employment in the state in 1982, said S Ranjit Singh, Administrative Officer of the society.

Established under the auspices of Planning Commission of India, with the Chief Secretary as its chairman, all the nine DCs as Members, MDS has been taking up employment generating schemes in the field of handloom, minor irrigation, miscellaneous engineering works, agriculture covering mostly rural areas in the valley and hill districts of Manipur.

He was speaking today at a press conference, 37th of the series organized by DIPR at its office complex in Moirangkhom to highlight the development activities of the Government.

The main objective of the Society is to bring about a comprehensive all round development in the rural areas of the State.

MDS set up to generate employment in rural areas

The schemes to be implemented by the Society are in addition to the normal schemes of the concerned Government Departments, he added.

Apart from implementing work programmes chalked out and approved for a particular financial year, the Society has been taking up deposit works of different departments under the State Government from time to time.

In agriculture sector, MDS concentrates on increasing the income of small and marginal farmers by way of encouraging collective farming in a compact area covering not less than 4-5 hectares in fallow land after the harvesting of paddy.

The compact areas are selected on the basis of the feasibility criteria set by the Society.

The feasibility criteria is based on the availability of land, proximity to the source of waters, manpower/farming communities, soil conditions, income level of the farmers/beneficiaries and other parameters set from time to time.

Groups of farmers comprising of 20 to 30 small poor and marginal farmers for Summer Crop and 10-20 farmers for winter crop programmes are ideal group of beneficiaries.

Under this programme, the Society provides agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, PP chemicals etc at 100 pc subsidy and contribution from the beneficiaries will be in the form of wages accrued arising out of the engagement of farmers during the cropping period which includes pre cropping activities, cropping, harvesting and post harvesting activities.

Besides this the society also conducts awareness programme with an objective of imparting modern agricultural practice and technology.

They are made familiar with the concepts of soil conservation, pest control and management efficient and judicious use of nutrients etc.

Another major activity of MDS is in the handloom sector which mainly consists of setting up Handloom Production Centres (HPCs) which are organized through Gram Panchayat in rural areas and Municipal Councils in urban areas.

There are at present 38 HPCs in the State almost all of which are in the valley districts with only one in Senapati district.

Members of the HPCs who are basically SHGs are provided skilled development trainings, looms and accessories at subsidized rates and working capital in the form of raw materials (yarn) .

MDS then directly markets the produce of the HPCs through its retail outlets, mobile vans, exhibitions and bulk sales to government and bulk buyers.

The society procures certain items from local entrepreneurs, group of weavers and individuals on specific demand from customers.

Besides, the Society also facilitates participation in many national and international fairs and exhibitions, Buyers and Sellers Meets too.

It also takes up skill development and up-gradation programmes for the traditional weavers of the state.

It also provides loom and accessories at 50 pc subsidy to the weavers and furniture and equipment at 100 pc subsidy at the time of opening of HPC.

In the engineering sector, MDS takes up construction of irrigation tanks, market sheds, waiting sheds, pay and use toilets, community halls and other miscellaneous engineering works.

Some of the major success stories of its engineering cell is the construction of the Manipur Film Development Society building, it office complex, structure inside the Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.

Besides it has also taken up construction of office complex in 27 unbanked TD blocks.

Queried on the non completion on time of some the construction works it had undertaken, especially the District Hospital building in Moreh, Ranjit Singh said the society tries its level best to complete projects on time but at times factors beyond its control leads to delays.