Manipur has enough potential for water resources, agro forestry, horticulture products, small scale industries, Handloom and Handicrafts etc. Our State can be one of the richest States by selling water only. Watershed projects and mini hydro projects are the most appropriate one for main power planning. Beside, our water is one of the purest, pollution free; which can be used for water distillation process or mineral water plan. Our main problem is marketing. Our producers and farmers are discouraged by uncertainty market structure.

Among the North East States, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram have better market structure. Even Mizoram has an independent Department of Agricultural Marketing. This department is working earnestly and independently as a core department directing the people to cultivate the most profitable crops demanded in international market which is suitable in its soil for large scale production.

The main objective of the department is market analysis, buyers and sellers' emporium, tilting its production pattern from time to time, selection of varieties of food crops favorable to the farmers etc. Farmers of Mizoram, therefore, have no problem to large scale production as per guideline of agricultural Marketing. This Department even, collected a few kilograms of ginger from the individuals. The total seasonal collection of its produces are auction within time framework for which interested parties or agencies have to deposit a minimum of Rs.20,000/-as security deposit.

Unlike other North East States, Manipur has given no attention in Agricultural Marketing .The role of North East Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Limited (NERAMAC) has no impact in Manipur. However, NERAMAC has the target to set up its branches in all the States of North east. NERAMAC has the proposal to set up peak houses, ware houses and cold storages in each State to help the farmers.

Manipur government should suggest establishment of post harvest handling centre for vegetables and agro horticultural commercial complex to provide common facilities for grading, packing, display and sales of the processed food products in the food emporium; only then, half of the problems of Agricultural marketing will be solved. This will enhance the farmers of Manipur to produce more and to the best of their capacity. People of hilly Districts will no longer see rotten oranges, mangoes etc.

We are not yet aware to inform that Insurance Companies (LIC, Oriental Insurances Etc. Etc.) are draining wealth in many attractive endorsement schemes considering Manipur a big market due to law and order problems and insecurity of life. Did government of Manipur get any benefit from these insurance companies? Recently (3 years ago) State Bank of India introduced Insurance bond schemes and collected Crores of rupees from NRI (non residence Indian) as a policy to recover financial deficit of Indian Government.

In the same way, State government can instruct Manipur Co-operative Bank or any other state guaranteed bank to launch Insurance schemes through RBI guideline. If the question of security deposit arises by the RBI, then, share stake can be sold out at open market operation at minimum rate. This policy will be helpful to the Sate government to make up financial deficit. State government can also appeal to its respective employees to be a promoter or join to endorsement schemes launched by the State guaranteed bank.

Our entrepreneur's problems:

1. Raw material monopoly by rival competitors.
2. Generally avoid taking risk and their priority is security, the kind found in government jobs.
3. Lack of basic tricks of the business.
4. Owners interferences in management affairs giving no thought to the present day competition.
5. Being from non-business background, they often are unable to mobilise the required capital to start off their venture from their own sources.
6. Over cautions attitude of bankers; many projects are delayed which lead to cost over run and project failure
7. Quick and short cut way to success. As a result they adopted many unfair and unethical practises in their business dealing.
8. Entrepreneur's ego and certain amount of "Babu" mentality inherent to the people create an affinity among our entrepreneurs for dealing a comfortable life. This led often negligence in business affairs and ultimately failure.


Entrepreneurs, at last, are unable to repay their loan instalments due to some unforeseen circumstances. Such a situation often causes their downfall in the long run when the debt becomes unmanageable. We have often seen quite a few entrepreneurs in the state who by their sheer hard work and determination have kept the flag flying high, however, often fail in long run mostly in competitive market. Raw material monopoly by rival competitors from outside state is the common occurrences.

From the above all circumstances, the best suit for Manipur is only the establishment of assemble units of various production companies in the country or MNCs. This will provides us employment generation, arts of skill labourers, lower price of the quality control products, income generation, and export oriented products. Finally, we can erect independently in the long run.

To encourage the establishment of Assemble units in the State, Manipur government can adopt certain taxation policy favourable to these units by declaring sale tax holiday for certain period of time or minimum tax collection from these units and contrarily, double sale tax levy from outside rival products.

Our local investors can take active part in establishing assemble units dealing with 50/50 percent investment or cent percent investment depending on the terms and conditions of agreement made between dealers. (Mother company, government, NGOs, local investors etc)

Our NGOs should be the initiator, promoters; to aware the people the benefits of opening assemble units in the state knowing financial position of the state and law and order consideration. NGOs should be the inviters, dealers with the leading companies or MNCs ensuring them that we have enough market not only in North east but also in neighbouring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh. However, our law and order problems should not affect to the establishment of assemble units in the state. Then, our market structure will be changed into oligopolistic competition (control by government, local investors, promoters of assemble units, NGOs etc.) But, this market structure will not affect local businessmen. However, Knowledge of stock exchange and its practises (buying and selling of share stake, brokerage benefit etc) can be experience even in our rural people only when we are able to expand thousands of assemble units in Manipur.

Undoubtly, our mind is very clear in this regard that fastest economic growth can be attained within a short span only when assemble units are introduced in Manipur. Enough for common sense because it is very near to wrong sense. Did our people like to know what our experts are planning to do? Or who will response?