Budget & wealth creation in Manipur

Free Thinker *

Today one of the focuses of our economy is 'wealth creation'. I am not an economist but certainly I am committed to the development of my State and prosperity of my people. The Union Budget and the Economic Survey 2019-20 provides ample scope for rethinking or reworking on our economic activities.

Pisciculture and fish production is going to be one of the priorities. The objective is to produce 200 lac tons of fishes in the years to come, by 2023. And 500 fishing organizations are going to be encouraged.

Here our state may take a pro -active role. We are a fish consuming state. We are importing fishes from other States and also from Myanmar. According to an estimate we consume approximately 52 thousand tons of fishes in a year and our annual production is about 32 thousand tons . That means we import nearly 20 thousand tons of fish from outside.

New initiatives and incentives are in the pipeline from various agencies for pisciculture and for increasing the fish production. We the people of Manipur and particularly those who are living in the appropriate locations must take the advantage of the new policy . Hopefully the DoNER and NEC will also be activated to give importance to fish production in the northeast.

Those who are already in fishing or fish - farming may look for the novel opportunities which are likely to come sooner or later. Our fishing communities may organize themselves as fishing co-operatives or organizations and do business unitedly. They may pull in resources and do fish farming in the local water bodies.

Community fish farming may change the economic landscape of our wetlands. The State Government may extend all kinds of support to such activities. As projected by the Fisheries Dept we are likely to become self-sufficient in fish within a few years from now.

Fish farmers will definitely be benefited if they play an active role in the new policy initiative of the Government of India.

The proposed PPP ( public private partnership) model in the health sector will prove to be a boon for us. This positive signal may bring about a boom for medical tourism in the State. Our doctors and nurses are one among the best in country.

If we are in a position to set up better and bigger hospitals thousands of patients will come to us for treatment. As of now many patients are coming from Myanmar and neighbouring States. This PPP model will also give us a boost in setting up super specialty hospitals in the State which is again going to be a blessing for us.

This will not only encourage medical tourism but generate huge employment in the State. We will be able to establish more number of private hospitals like Shijas, Babinas ,Chambers ,Christians, etc. I am extremely confident that the entire people in the northeast will come to our State for treatment. We will have more patients than Assam.

Another wealth propagation initiative is the use of MGNREGA for fodder farming. We certainly need fodder for our cattle , pony and pigs. If MGNREGA fund is utilizable for fodder production this will create more money for the rural folks. This option is going to bring financial comfort to many families in the remote hills and valley.

One Fruit one district may prove very beneficial for the State. For instance orange for Tamenglong . We have plum friendly areas., lemon suitable sites, pineapple plausible region accordingly we may arrange and take advantage of the schemes and program as stipulated by the Budget and subsequent policies.

Another focus is on assembling things . By assembling alone China becomes the biggest supplier of electronic items, computers and mobile phones. Our State Manipur may follow the dragon model and become an assembling hub for mobile phones which is futuristic.

The components can be procured from the ASEAN countries through Myanmar. Now we should be more open with Tamu and Mandalay. The most important thing is that we must keep our eyes and ears open so that we become aware of what is going on in the economic front .

And in the interest of the State and people we must take up and pursue the economic activities and pursuits which are best suited for us. We must explore all possible opportunities for creating wealth for the people.

Finally for creating wealth I would like to say "Buy land, they are not making it anymore " Mark Twain.