DIPR
Under ASPIRE ( A Scheme for Promotion of Innovation, Rural Industry and Entrepreneurship), Government of India has sanctioned 22 Livelihood Business Incubators (LBIs), out of this, 9 LBIs have been sanctioned in the tiny State of Manipur at a total cost of Rs. 792.48 lakh. These 9 LBIs, one in each of nine Districts of Manipur are going to play a crucial role in our Make in Manipur initiative. In addition one rapid Incubation Centre is being set up by National Small Industries Corporation Ltd. (NSIC) in Imphal. By availing the facilities provided by these Incubators, people can get themselves trained in their chosen trades and become successful entrepreneurs.
The State Government is also setting up one Common Facility Centre (CFC) at a cost of Rs 15 crore each in every district for providing manpower training to the farmers and other related infrastructures so that they can avail these opportunities for manufacturing their own products. Diagnostic Study Reports have already been accepted by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Govt. of Inida and necessary DPRs are being submitted. These CFCs will be area specific, that is, will basically be based on the availability of raw materials in the respective district.
The proposed CFCs are in Senapati district – Floriculture (Dry Flowers, Cut Flowers, Aromatic & medicinal Plants, etc.), In Chandel – Bamboo Processing (bamboo shoot manufacturing and other bamboo-based handicraft items), In Churachandpur – Spices processing, In Tamenglong – Fruit Processing, In Ukhrul – Food Processing (lemon, orange, passion fruit, spices, chili, etc), Imphal East – Pineapple Processing, Imphal West – Plastic Processing, Bishnupur – Fish Processing and in Thoubal district – Kauna Processing.
Entrepreneurship in Aromatic & Medicinal plants has a tremendous potential in Manipur. The State being the gateway to South East Asian, has its advantage on its own if the medicinal plants found in Manipur is grown on a large scale, processed, packed and sold either in India or abroad. This can minimise the problem of unemployment to a certain extend. M/S. Manipur Food Industries Corporation Ltd (MFICL), an undertaking of Department of Commerce & Industries, Manipur has worked out a model where farmers grow medicinal and aromatic plants on their land with financial assistance from banks and planting material is supplied by MFICL with a buy back policy. For processing and value addition, Livelihood Business Incubators have been established in every District Industries Centre. To facilitate supply of planting materials, Gene Bank has been developed at Chothe Village in Bushnupur District. MFICL is targeting a total area of 5000 acre in the first phase all over the State for plantation of medicinal and aromatic plants, more particularly stevia, lemon grass, ginger and turmeric and aims to generate employment of atleast 2000 persons on a sustainable basis.
The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) scheme was newly introduced in 2015-16 by merging all other general handloom schemes. Under this scheme, Clusters will be set up at Block level, having concentration of handlooms at the cost of Rs.2.00 crore each. In a Block, more than one cluster may also be taken up depending upon need-base with respect to the number of handlooms.
The scheme has many sub-components, like, baseline survey/diagnostic study, consortium building, raw material, design development, product diversification, infrastructure (CFC), publicity & marketing, basic input, skill upgradation, construction of worksheds, solar lighting system, engagement of Cluster Development, Textile Designer-Cum-Marketing Executive and project management
The objectives of the scheme are to follow need based approach for integrated and holistic development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers. Support weavers, both within and outside the cooperative fold including self help groups, NGOs etc. towards raw material, design inputs, technology up-gradation, marketing support through exhibitions, Create permanent infrastructure in the form of Urban Haats, marketing complexes, setting up of Weavers Service Centre (WSCs) and Development of web portal for e-marketing of handloom products etc
Govt. of India has approved and sanctioned 10 Nos. of Block Level Handloom Clusters in each district of Manipur in 2015-16 at a total project cost of Rs.16 crore to cover a target of 18500 weavers of Manipur.