DIPR
Imphal, Feb. 23,
Horticulture and Soil Conservation Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar today said that the farmers across the State are timely given benefits under various schemes of the department. He opined that the collective effort of the stakeholders (the Government and the farmers) will help in raising the income of the farmers and boost the economy of the State. He was speaking at the tractors and power tillers distribution function to the selected beneficiaries (farmers) at the office complex of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department, Sanjenthong.
Altogether 22 selected farmers from the districts of Imphal East, Imphal West, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Senapati were given 9 tractors and 13 power tillers at the subsidised rate in the first phase of farm mechanisation of the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme (2018-19) under the aegis of the Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department. A subsidy of Rs 1 lakh each on tractors and Rs 75,000 each on power tillers have been given to the selected beneficiaries for buying the machineries by the department. An assistance of Rs 57.50 lakh has been provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India for procuring 50 numbers of power tillers and 20 numbers of tractors which will be distributed to the selected beneficiaries in phase wise.
Minister Th. Shyamkumar expressed hope that the help from the Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department will surely boost the confidence of the farmers. Stating that the Government is helping the selected farmers, he advised the selected farmers to lend a helping hand to the needy farmers so that all the farmers can work hard to increase the crop production. JC Ramthanga, Principal Secretary said that the Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department aims to increase the productivity of the agriculturist and horticulturist in the State and to make the State fully organic. Stating that the distribution of tractors and power tillers is one of the components of the annual plan for 2018-19, he said the distribution program will be a milestone as the selected farmers will be able to work and produce more.
K. Kipgen, Director, Horticulture and Soil Conservation Department lauded the MIDH officers and staffs for their effort to provide benefits to the selected beneficiaries. Stating that it is best time for cultivation (kharif season), he said that distribution of the machineries to the selected farmers will surely help them in yielding more crops. N. Premananda Singh, Mission Director, MIDH said that the distribution for the second phase will be done in March and the process of selecting the beneficiaries is underway. He also lauded the district officers for helping in selecting the genuine beneficiaries. Stating that other benefits are also being provided to the farmers under the MIDH scheme, he invited the farmers to visit the nearest office of the department to avail benefits.
