Seri Project to continue with Textile Ministry funding: CM
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 08 2013: Japanese officials have refused to come to Manipur to take up the Sericulture Project in the State, even though they are pretty sure that the project will bear fruit, due to the prevailing law and order situation of the State, Chief Minister O Ibobi has asserted.

The Chief Minister was speaking as the Chief Guest on the occasion of distributing Cheques and Laptops under HEDA, CLUSTER and CDP at the auditorium of MFDC, Palace Compound here today.

The function was organized jointly by the Directorate of Commerce and Industries and the Directorate of Sericulture, Government of Manipur.

The Chief Minister went on to say that even if Japan has shown reluctance in continued funding for the project, the Union Ministry of Textiles would be sanctioning the required funds for taking up second phase of the ongoing Sericulture Project in Manipur.

The approval in this regard from the Ministry has arrived and the project will be taken up very shortly.

Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh presenting cheque under HEDA scheme to one of the woman weavers

The Chief Minister reiterated that Manipur is a State which is best suited for taking up Sericulture.

The Japanese Government had taken up the first phase of the Sericulture project in the State.

However, when the State proposed the Japanese Government for the second phase of the Sericulture project, none of the concerned Japanese officials have shown willingness to come to the State on account of the unsettling law and order situation prevailing in the State.

So, the law and order in Manipur needs to be improved at the earliest, he added.

The Chief Minister informed that a total of 22 cheques have been distributed to 22 private/societies under Handloom Export Development Approach Scheme formulated under the Development of Exportable Products and their Marketing (DEPM).

Along with this, laptops have also been distributed to 17 handloom clusters, which are component of Design Development and Product Diversification under Integrated Handloom Development Scheme.

He further stated that Manipur has been placed in third position in the country among the States having largest number of weavers.

Manipur has altogether 2.18 lakhs weavers and the number of weaving machines in the State was recorded at 2 lakhs.

So, the handloom products should be made to meet the International standards to find wider market.

He said that the State Government is also trying to import power looms.

Since the State Government could not provide government job to all, educated youths in Manipur should not think only about government jobs.

Private entrepreneurs have been playing a great role in generating employment opportunities to the youths as well, and this trend should increase in future, the Chief Minister added.

Delivering the Presidential address, Commerce and Industries Minister Govindas Konthoujamstated that education, employment and economy are the most important parts for development in any States including Manipur.

Handloom and handicrafts as well as sericulture are also two sectors which provide employment opportunities to the people of Manipur.

Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industries O Nabakishore was also present on the occasion as one of the presidium members.