Six days ago, we publish a report on the drought situation in the state based on official figures and statistics availed by the agriculture department. The state cabinet instead of acting on the official figures decided to subsidize Urea fertilizer in the ‘interests’ of the state farmers. The cabinet meeting had decided to provide a transport cum storage subsidy on Urea fertilizer amounting to Rs 4.27 crores in the current year in view of the low rainfall and impending drought like condition this year. The government statement had said that it is closely monitoring the rainfall pattern and status in the State and will take further actions as necessary to support the farming community. Let us say, the government is still observing the situation and they are not ready to take a hasty decision. Another cabinet meeting was held in the intervening period of six days, but the decision on drought never came. Instead, four cabinet sub-committees were formed which is touring the districts now. They have seen the cracks in the agricultural fields with their own eyes. Now, it turns out that, the state government is waiting for the cracks to widen and worsening of the drought situation. We still remember the young agriculture minister announcing before the media that the state is prepared for any drought situation in the state on July 1. The very next day, the Director of Agriculture virtually contradicted his Minister by ruling out drought while on a tour. He had also said that if the rainfall situation does not improve by mid-July a drought like situation could develop. Still they are not on talking terms. In mid-July, the Minister and the Director were going in different directions inspecting agricultural fields. Swords were out in the open for quite some time between the Minister and the Director with allegations flying around. And this had to happen when the fields are parched and farmers are running around in absolute distress. Though the state had witnessed adequate rainfall in the previous years 2010 and 2011, it is now in a drought-like condition with the total annual rainfall of this year short of 313.22 mm than the normal range. According to officials in the agriculture directorate, drought status could be declared if the annual rainfall does not reach 75 percent of the normal rainfall. The present rainfall in the state is much less than 75 percent. The sprinkling of rain now and then is not helping the farmers and the fields are still parched. We have seen flash floods in Imphal city recently, but the situation is different in the fields. Timing is very important for productive agriculture activities, as it depends on the monsoon rains. In recent years, climatic changes has become so unpredictable. Weather forecasting has become extremely difficult and one can no longer depend on monsoon rains for agricultural activities. That is exactly where the role of irrigation comes in. We have seeing big big irrigation projects being taken up in recent times with the irrigation projects sucking up precious state funds. Add to that, the activities of Minor Irrigation and Command Area Development Agency (CADA) if at all it is there. In fact, overlapping work-programmes between MI and CADA activities had been talked about. It is MI and CADA which is supposedly taking up work to directly facilitate water to the fields from the main irrigation canals. And in such a precarious situation, why is everybody silent about it? Who is raising questions on the activities of these two little known yet important agencies? Is it because, the Chief Minister himself holds both these agencies? The recent formation of cabinet sub-committees could be translated as of ‘focus’ on the part of the state cabinet with regard to the plight of the farmers. Yet, it could also be seen as a question mark on the competence of the Agriculture Minister.
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