The inaugural function was graced by agriculture minister N. Loken, Dr. Ng. Bijoy, MLA of Khurai A/C, Letkhogin Haokip, commissioner of agriculture, and L. Palandro, director of agriculture, as the chief guest, president and guests of honour respectively.
Speaking at the inaugural function, agriculture minister N. Loken stated that the RKVY programme has been taken up in the state to bring about green revolution in the state, and announced that the state government will distribute the seeds of rabi crops very soon to the farmers.
Stressing on the improvement of agriculture and allied sectors for the economic development of the state, Loken stated that the farmers should play great roles in the improvement of agriculture by devoting their time and labour in agricultural activities.
The minister further maintained that the state government has been providing machineries and other agricultural equipments at subsidized rates to the farmers.
Moreover, the farmers’ clubs should also be formed to provide financial and technical assistance to the economically backward framers of the state.
He also stated that the agricultural programmes were previously taken up under the funding of micro-management programme, but presently the RKVY will surely help to provide more benefits to the farmers for which the concerned authority has granted Rs 24 crores for its implementation.
Minister Loken also appealed to the people to follow the instructions of agricultural experts to produce greater yield to meet the demands of the growing population.
In the keynote address, deputy director of agriculture, Ph. Rajendro stated that the Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) is a unique programme of the Central government which aims to provide optimum benefits to the farmers of the state. The RKVY has been launched in the state only this year even though the programme was launched in 2007 in other parts of the country, he noted.
The RKVY will have eight allied sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, sericulture, veterinary and animal husbandry etc. and 20 other components. The agriculture department is hopeful to get good yield from various sectors under this programme, Rajendro stated.
Dwelling on the rabi campaign, the deputy director further stated that the agriculture has been able to produce good yield from the model seed villages which have planted M-27 variety of mustard on zero terrace and the government has even procured 200 metric tones of mustard seeds from the farmers.
The agriculture department is planning to procure 300-500 metric tones of mustard seeds from various model seed villages of the state and plantation of maize and other cereal crops will also be taken up in different areas of the state, Rajendro announced.
He further said that the state government will provide more irrigation facilities under RKVY besides the present 30000 hectares of irrigated fields, and added that the concerned authority should timely implement the “Manipur Marketing Act†in view of redressing the grievances of the farmers.
About 100 farmers of Imphal-East district participated in the orientation programme during which various resource persons form the Central Agricultural University, Imphal, delivered lectures on the concept of integrated crop management and other related topics.
