Imphal, November 21: Under a special programme initiated by the Department of Agriculture to make paddy fields green with Rabi crops in the post harvest season, seeds of Rabi crops were distributed to farmers at Nambol Sabal Leikai in the first phase today.

It is reported that farmers of all districts can collect the seeds from respective District Agriculture Officers.

The Rabi crop seeds were distributed today by Minister of Agriculture N Loken during a one day farmers' training programme held at Nambol Sabal Leikai public hall.

He also released a booklet, the copies of which were also distributed to the people.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister N Loken recalled that Manipur was able to produce surplus crops about 30 years back.

The State was able to earn a huge income from these surplus produces exported to other States.

However, Manipur has become a relatively backward States on all fronts.

What is more disturbing is the growing culture of dependency, he lamented.

The growing culture of dependency is a sign of the lack of work culture among the people of the State, he asserted.

Observing that it's time to cultivate a work culture, the Minister called upon the people to shoulder their due responisbility towards this end.

In his presidential speech, Agriculture Commissioner Letkhogin Haokip noted that no society which is self-sufficient in food produces shall remain undeveloped for long.

However, as the Manipuri society is lacking in every field, the State remains gripped in violence.

Yet, it would not be proper to blame only the State Government for all the miseries besetting the society, Letkhogin said.

Joint Director of Agriculture Department RK Nayansana informed that out of 24,700 metric tonnes of mustard oil required by the State annually, the State is producing only 6247.6 metric tonnes.

Likewise many other essential food items are being imported in large quantities from outside the State continuously.

The continuous large scale import of food items from other States has been causing serious impact on the economy of Manipur, she observed.

Instead of keeping the agricultural fields vacant after harvesting paddy, it's high time to cultivate suitable crops with a vision to make Manipur a self-sufficient State in all essential food items, she remarked.

During the seed distribution function today, seeds required to cultivate in 150 paris were distributed to farmers.

The seeds distributed were of mustard for extracting oil, peas, moong dal etc.

Later in the afternoon in the technical session of the training programme, plant pathologist of KVK Wangbal Dr M Thoithoi, retired Additional Director N Dhiren and VSMS AK Chittaranjan educated the farmers as resource persons on different topics related to using modern agricultural technologies.

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