Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Aug 14 2009:
Assuring that Agriculture Department has taken up necessary measures to combat current drought situation in the State, Agriculture Minister N Loken has appealed to the farmers not to worry over the situation and possible loss.
Talking to some media-persons on the sidelines of distributing seeds to the farmers under the Oil Seeds and Pulses Scheme at Mantripukhri today, Minister Loken informed that to face the drought situation prevailing in the State, the State Government has constructed 200 kutcha dams, 300 water pump sets have been provided to the farmers and around 2000 Paris of paddy field irrigated under River Lift Irrigation Projects.
Over and above this, steps have been taken up to ensure adequate supply of diesel to the farmers for operation of the water pump sets.
The Minister further said that saplings of paddy varieties which do not require much water for cultivation are being made available to the farmers under ICDP and other necessary measures are being taken up in all the drought affected districts by the respective scheme in-charges concerned.
Informing that a meeting of all the Agriculture Ministers of the drought affected States has been convened by the Union Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar at New Delhi on August 21, the Minister conveyed that he would attend the meeting and participate in the discussion on measures to be taken up to combat drought in the country including Manipur.
In connection with distribution of seeds of Sagolhawai (Urak) and Soyabean under Oil Seeds and Pulses Scheme for the first phase today, Ch Jugindro Singh, who is the scheme in-charge, explained that it is a part of the measures being taken up under the Micro Management Mode of Agriculture to promote cultivation of pulses in place where cultivation of paddy would not be possible due to shortage of water.
Such cultivations would help the farmers in overcoming their possible loss from drought, he said, adding that seeds of pulses like Moong Dal and Hawai Mairongbi (Arhar) would also be made available to the farmers in due course of time.
For the first phase of distributing the seeds, the Minister handed over the respective district quotas of the seeds to their concerned District Agriculture Officers.
Director of Agriculture Department, Additional Director, Scheme in-charges and other officials were also present at the occasion.