Thought Provoked
- Musing for a better society –

Dayanidhi Huidrom *

Hill-locked topography and communal/ political tension bring us halt in our journey to progress. The challenge that our terrain pose is inescapable and, in fact we have to live nature. Nature gifts us so and we have to accept it. But this should not be our hurdle in our path to development.

It is not impossible that we can build a great developed society inspite of the problems we face. Every revolution transcends the 'roughs and toughs'. Simply puts, "Where there is will, there is way". Moreover we can't escape the fact that we are the sons and daughters of the soil and therefore we owe a lot.

Unfortunately the climate of division among our people seemed to escalate in recent years and thus pose a threat to the unity of the state. The pretext our section of people has is flimsy, narrow and artificial. Manipur has long been stood as one under a single Meitei leadership. Perhaps in the olden days tribes were few and obviously insignificant in number and voice. There are histories where tribals were tortured.

By opening this chapter again some brothers are trying to unify themselves and carve out a separate territory/ state at the least. But one should know that these cases may be sporadic and can never be considered as state sponsored (mis)activity. Even if so, unlike yester years, today's tribals enjoy every right (even better) and are fairly treated in the eye of Indian law. Moreover, we have great number of examples where everyone in the communities co-existed like brothers and sisters. Why to forget good ones and only revolve around bad histories? We need to be pragmatic.

My conviction is that it is the time to move to a new direction. Our citizen needs good (and sufficient) water, road, food, power and all basic items for living. For this to make happen, we need peace. In the environment we keep on fighting we have least hope. Why not we thrust our thought in grand, united development and prosperity?

I am fortunate to travel in many parts of India and could easily sense inequality. Rural – Urban divide. So and so. In the most industrialized state Maharashtra, there are roads that even motorcycle find difficult to drive. There was no treated water through pipeline but astonishingly there were 'coca-cola' in every shop. In Rajasthan how hard farmers manage to grow crops inspite of scanty rainfall they get.

What I mean is that inequitable distribution of wealth and opportunities is universal problem. It takes economist answer to question like, "Why Imphal is Imphal is infrastructurally well off than Tamenglong? Why Churachandpur better than Senapati, etc?" If we keep musing on, more we will be in disappointment. Problems have to be solved locally. Though it may not be possible to make equal monetarily, it is very probable to deliver basic requirement of human being; decent roti, kapara and makan!

Farmer like Mahavir Singh (Rajasthan) kindles a new hope by producing new variety of wheat that yields more with little water. His field was his laboratory. He had also broken the myth that farmers are out of science and discovery! There are many examples human endeavour in many corners of India. Determination is the key. We are not lacking too. Biren's revolutionary hydro turbine could soon set a new history. Deben's fish drier already broke a record. There are many unsung stars.

My stint as senior fellow at NIF (National Innovation Foundation) gave me hope. There are innovative minds just waiting for the chance to catapult. Inspite of this, I am scared; if things stop there. we are loosing a lot. Price is heavy. When deed sprouts up and there is nothing to water, it will die. What is required is scale and penetration; this is entirely where we are lacking. However one thing is clear and loud – we got talent and we have to pull them up.

During my era as an entrepreneur, I dreamt a lot among which was export of sliced pineapple can. However dream was short lived. Transport cost was excessively high. In the product that cost Rs. 30, another Rs 8 - 10 has to be added to reach Delhi. This is unacceptable from buiness point of view.

On the other hand, we never had industry oriented backward integration. The variety of pineapple we have is either too small or not fit for slicing. Our oval shape 'Kew' on slicing loses a lot. We never had pineapple production farm and system capable of delivering requirement of industrial scale. We have to work everything from scratch. This is our challenge.

On the contrary, we rely almost every commodity from tomato to mango from other states. Even rice we grow is not enough. This is a pathetic condition. Large number of commodities that brought to the state is itself an opportunity. By growing ourselves here, the economic upheaval it can bring is enormous. Huge area of land lying idle in the hills is to be made productive and sustainable. This is the time, I feel, govt. need to frame a sound policy and support system that beats the heart of the state.

Recently, I got news that govt is taking initiative to cultivate Chak-hao Poireiton (purple aromatic/ scented rice at a larger scale; the newspaper report it as 'black scented rice' which I think is a misnomer). When I researched whether it can be taken up as business, there was potential. But farmers and govt. alike were in complete disarray since it wasn't used more than mere customary recipe in public feast. I tried to showcase them at North East Fair, Delhi.

I even tried to bring it to a higher level. But unfortunately with little homework I did it was short-lived. Extensive research is required in this field; nutritional content, cultivation practices, genome profiling, patent, product diversification, market insights, etc. Govt. should stop doing lipstick service but start acting straight.

Here in supermarkets of Winnipeg, Canada, I saw rice of different colours and hues coming from Asia particularly Thailand. This indicates why our Chak-hao couldn't be possible. If Thailand profits from rice why can't we.

I have friends running private banks. They are young (as me), energetic and optimistic. I never missed them to ask a question, "Are you running banks to make money or serving the society?" I suggest them to lend money with solution. If they lend money, they are money lenders. A bad name! If they provide them tangible solution (with money!) to break the circle of poverty, they are the best people in the world. What more we want! This itself is a reward bigger than anything else. This is also my suggestion to policymakers, decision makers, bankers. Let's stop doing pointless promise.

Open truth about poverty is that poor people, other than craving for daily survival, doesn't have extra money to save. "Poverty breeds poverty'. Inspite of loud rhetoric and tall claims, the misery, despondency and lawlessness increases day by day. Real needy people are rarely touched. Money lost somewhere before reaching them. Our local communities have a great role to play to make public spending accountable.

Instead of demanding reservation, it is time to demand better roads and schools and contributing the govt/ NGO to make it more effective, qualitative and competitive. If their children performs and employable, what is the need of reservation and quota? They can work anywhere in the world. That should be the spirit. If they have better roads, they should not be surprised what economic changes it would bring.

When the teacher from Imphal doesn't come to school they are happy with Rs. 1000/ 2000 they receive from that teacher for not complaining to authority. This is rampant everywhere. This is where community understanding and responsibilities come into picture.

Solution has to be seen from perspective. When the world moves we can no longer remain stopping. We may have scarce resource but we have to work it out how it can be made productive. When we fail, the whole state and nation suffers. Let's see the possibilities. Surely, we can.