Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 13:
Taking serious note of the ever shrinking agricultural land in Manipur due to various modernisation projects, chairman of the Kishan and Khet Mazdoor Congress of MPCC H Nabakumar has urged for enforcement of the Agricultural Land Protection Act in Manipur.
Nabakumar was speaking at a meeting of the presidents of Kishan and Khet Mazdoor Congress of different States held recently in New Delhi.
At the meeting attended by AICC leaders and Union Ministers, Nabakumar asserted that consequent upon initiation various development and modernisation projects on agricultural lands, not only is the agricultural land shrinking at an alarming rate but severe hardships are also being faced by many landless agricultural labourers of Manipur.
To save the State from the lurking precarious situation, Nabakumar urged upon the Union leaders to enforce Agricultural Land Protection Act in Manipur.
Due to the extremely bad conditions of road infrastructure in hill districts of Manipur, huge seasonal and perennial horticulture and agricultural products produced in abundance in these districts got perished before they can be brought to markets thereby forfeiting a major source of income for the people of the State.
Highlighting such problems of valuable natural resources going waste in the State due to transport bottlenecks, the chairman of the Kishan and Khet Mazdoor Congress of MPCC insisted on developing all weather roads in hill districts atleast between district headquarters and sub-divisional headquarters.
Nabakumar also asked for a research centre in Manipur and to take up awareness programmes specifically for welfare and poverty alleviation of farmers and fish-farmers.
He appealed to the Union Ministers for loans to farmers through NABARD and nationalised banks.
For the welfare of farmers, Nabakumar further suggested establishment of a central committee in each State which will be constituted by State chairmen of Kishan and Khet Mazdoor, district presidents and representatives of block level committees.
At the meeting, he also conveyed his desire to take up various development programmes and micro-management programmes for farmers in collaboration with Government agencies and financial institutes.