Newmai News Network
Imphal | October 14
75 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) would be opened in Manipur, according to Manipur Chief Minister, N Biren Singh. He said this while inaugurating the Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram and State Level Advocacy Workshop at Classic Grande in Imphal on Monday.
He also said that the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojana (VDKY) will transform the "tribal economy" of the State.
Under VDKY), the State government will be focusing on collection, processing and value addition of eight Non-timber forest products such as hill broom, gooseberry, wild honey, mushroom, wild apple, bamboo shoot, Indian Olive (chorphon) and turmeric.
Under Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, the centre has initiated “various welfare programmes and schemes for the North East and tribal people of the region,” Singh further maintained.
The Hill Areas Development Programme (HADP) has been introduced for hilly states like Manipur to bring equal development in both hill and valley of the State, he said, and informed that Tamenglong district would be getting 90 lakhs under the programme.
Cold chain systems would be constructed in five hill districts of the State and Tamenglong and Noney would be covered under HADP, he added. The three other districts are Imphal West, Imphal East and Pherzaw.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister maintained that in last two and half years, peace has prevailed in the state. With the support and cooperation of the people, the growth rate of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has doubled from four per cent in 2016-17 to eight per cent in 2018-19, he added.
Manipur has topped in terms of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) businesses registration among the North Eastern States of the country. He also stated that Manipur has also topped in women ownership in MSME businesses. Manipur women owned 50 percent of MSME businesses, he added.
The Chief Minister then stated that the State Cabinet recently approved the ‘Stand Up Manipur’ scheme under the existing Start Up Manipur Scheme to provide subsidy and soft loans to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, OBC, Women and Minorities of the State for setting up business.
Stating that Manipur is facing menace of drug abuse and there is mass plantation of poppy in hill areas, the Chief Minister said that the government has declared 'War against drugs' and mass destruction of poppy plantation is taking place in various parts of the State. The Government is actively providing alternative livelihood to the poppy farmers.
The inaugural function is jointly organised by TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and Forest Department, Government of Manipur.
