Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 18:
The distribution function of Agri equipments/implements organized by Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation Manipur under the Technology Mission for integrated Development of Horticulture in Manipur for the year 2003-04 was held at the 1st Battalion Manipur Rifles Parade Ground today.
Horticulture and Soil Conservation Manipur Director Kh Kirankumar, Soil Conservation Jt Director K Ngachan, VST Tillers Tractors Ltd Bangalore vice president BCS Iyengar and Usha International Ltd sales officer Sanjay Kumar attended the function as the chief guest, president and special guest respectively.
Speaking at the function, Director Kirankumar stated that it is high time for the farmers of the State to leave aside the outdated implements and employ the latest technologies in the field and help increase the agricultural productivity in the State.
Asserting that using advanced agricultural implements not only increases productivity but also reduces physical activity of the farmers, Kirankumar said that the Dept has been making all efforts to help the farmers in buying the latest equipments.
He also appealed to the farmers to increase the State's agricultural output and help in improving the economy of the State.
In his presidential speech, Jt Director K Ngachan lamented that farming in the State has not been able to make any improvement inspite of the Govt issuing a large number of power tillers as most of them have been used by the beneficiaries in rice mill or as generators.
He also appealed to the farmers to use the implements distributed today in the right manner and help in bringing about an agricultural revolution in the State.
Special guest BCS Iyengar who also spoke at the function informed that his company and the State Bank of India had signed a MoU to help group farmers consisting of not more than five members and having farm land of above two acres in buying power tillers by providing 95% of the cost as loans by the SBI.
Any group farmers group wanting to avail this facility may contact M/S Rajesh and Associates Imphal for further details, he added.
85 power tillers, 84 diesel pump sets, 190 manually operated sprayers and 95 power operated sprayers were distributed to the selected beneficiaries from different dist of the State.
It may be noted here that the selected beneficiaries had paid an advance of Rs 78,000 for the power tillers distributed today while the remaining amount were given as grant by the Govt.