Newmai News Network
Imphal | February 19
Manipur Agriculture Minister V Hangkhanlian informed the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Wednesday that due to ‘drought-like situation,’ the agricultural yield in the State has considerably decreased during the current fiscal year.
Replying to questions and supplementary raised by AK. Mirabai Devi, MLA, the Agriculture minister said an estimated area of 99,153 hectares cannot be cultivated due to drought this year. He also said that, this year an estimated area of 95,847 hectares of land were cultivated yielding 2,57,154 MT which is about only 50 per cent of the normal yield. He further said that due to late and scarcity of rainfall, drought like situation prevailed in the State.
In view of the situation, State cabinet decided to declare drought and the department declared drought in the State on August 31, 2019. Accordingly, the report was submitted to Relief and Disaster Management Department and as per the report and Inter Ministerial Central Team visited the State during October 11 to 17, 2019 for spot verification. Proposal of the State for Relief Assistance is under consideration in the Ministry. For the drought affected areas, an amount of Rs. 6,02,93,000 were sanctioned for procurement of different Rabi seeds from State fund as per contingency crop plant proposed by the Department, he added.
Replying to another question raised by K Ranjit Singh, MLA, the minister said, 100 numbers of water pumps have been procured and distributed to the beneficiaries for use in the drought affected areas. He said that an MoU was signed between the pump beneficiaries and District Agriculture Officer concerned that the pump allotted to them will be returned to the concerned Officer. All District Agriculture Officers have been directed to collect the pumps from the beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, Manipur Social Welfare Minister Nemcha Kipgen informed the House that construction of 779 Anganwadi Centres were completed during the last 2 (two) years. She was replying to a question raised by Awangbow Newmai, MLA regarding the construction of Anganwadi Centres during the last 2 years. She said, 4 (four) numbers of Anganwadi Centres were constructed in Tamei Assembly Constituency during the last 2 years.
Meanwhile, Fisheries Minister N. Kayisii informed the House that steps have been taken up to conserve the indigenous varieties of fish in the State. Replying to a question raised by K Ranjit Singh, MLA, the minister said that, in view of the nearing extinction of some of indigenous varieties of fishes of the State, 10 Murrel Hatcheries have been opened to conserve and production of indigenous fishes under National Fishery Development Board, Hyderabad. Also with the implementation of BIO FLOC, a new technology of rearing fish, there will be sufficient production of indigenous fishes in the State, the minister added.
.jpg)
