Minister Dingo vows efficiency of all his departments
Source: Chronicle News Service / Premchand Thongam

Imphal, May 10 2022: Minister Heikham Dingo, who has been allotted the portfolios of social welfare, fisheries as well as skill, labour, employment and entrepreneurship, has vowed to ensure efficient operation of all the departments.

In an exclusive interview, Dingo told The People's Chronicle that he is examining past records and holding discussions on future plans of the said departments with officials concerned and trying to identify the problem areas, if any.

All these departments might be minor in general perspectives but are very important for the state and hence all possible efforts would be made to develop these departments and make them the best in the State, he said.

According to Dingo, social welfare department is of utmost importance as it is related with human beings from birth till death.

Stating that the department has been taking up various welfare schemes for different stages of life, he pointed out that under Poshan Abhiyan scheme launched by the department, balanced diets are being provided to pregnant women so as to aid healthy upbringing of the newborns.

The department also takes up welfare schemes for children, widows, differently abled persons and elderly citizens, he added.

While expressing deep concern over diminishing discipline and moral among the contemporary children, minister Dingo stressed the need to impart discipline among children from Anganwadi centres being run by social welfare department.

Regarding the fisheries department, he said majority of people in Manipur consume fish but state's fish production could not meet the demand consequently compelling import of fishes and resultant exhaustion of state's exchequer to the tune of around Rs 200 crore annually.

Chief minister N Biren Singh is making concerted efforts to prevent outflow of money by increasing fish production in the state, Dingo said adding that he will work as per aspirations of the chief minister and everything possible will be taken up to increase fish production.

He also vowed to make efforts to increase production of indigenous fishes like Pengba, Ngaton, Khabak and Meitei Sareng.

Manipur is included among five states of the country for the Indo German Financial Corporation on Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in India scheme being taken up by National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and survey is going on for the German funded scheme.

The survey will determine feasibility of taking up fisheries projects in Loktak and other lakes and wetlands of the state, Dingo said adding that survey experts from German had indicated possibility of taking up cage culture in Loktak lake by removing Phumdis.

Regarding the labour department, H Dingo said a society cannot exist without labour and this section of people have big responsibility in developing a society as it is impossible to construct roads, bridges and buildings without them.

He confided that a screening committee will be formed to verify labour cards through which many people are taking benefits from the department in the name of labour.

Deletion of labour card will be initiated based on findings of the screening committee, he added.

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