IT News
Imphal, Oct 14
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that the Pradhan Mantri Van Dhan Vikas Yojana will transform the tribal economy of the State. This was stated by him at the inauguration ceremony of Van Dhan Vikas Karyakram and State Level Advocacy Workshop at Classic Grande, Imphal today.
Speaking as Chief Guest of the function, Chief Minister announced that altogether 75 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras would be opened in the State. Under the Van Dhan Vikas Yojana, the State government will be focussing 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.
Chief Minister mentioned that it is indeed great that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has initiated various welfare programmes and schemes for the NorthEast and tribal people of the region. 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. Tamenglong district would be getting 90 lakhs under the programme, he added. Chief Minister said that Cold chain systems would be constructed in five hill districts of the State. Tamenglong and Noney would be covered under HADP. The three other districts viz. Imphal West, Imphal East and Pherzawl will be covered under the State plan.
On the occasion, 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 NorthEastern 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.
Chief Minister 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, 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. Chief Minister hoped that Van Dhan Vikas Yojana would also help such farmers by improving their livelihood and income.
The inaugural function is jointly organised by TRIFED, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India and Forest Department, Government of Manipur.
Minister for PHED Losii Dikho, Chairman, TRIFED (Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India) R.C Meena, Chairman of Manipur Tribal Development Corporation Vungzagin Valte, MLAs Shri Khasim Vashum, O. Lukhoi, H. Dingo, Vice Chairperson TRIFED Pratibha Brahma, Chief Secretary Dr. J. Suresh Babu, PCCF and Head of Forest Force K. Angami, Managing Director TRIFED Pravir Krishna, officials of Ministry of Tribal Affairs and others attended the function.
