Manipur is sailing smoothly, it can change Manipur in 5 years: Biren

Imphal: “Today Manipur is sailing smoothly, if this progress continues, within the next five years, we can bring a change in the state,” chief minister N. Biren Singh said as he inaugurated “Stakeholders Consultations Meet under District as Export Hubs Scheme” at Hotel Imphal on Friday.

The chief minister also expressed his happiness with the bureaucrats of the state and explained that in the previous government, the government had introduced the Meeyamgi Numit and Hill Leader’s Day to interact with the general public and to understand the grievances from the ground level. Today, the state’s officers have initiated these interaction programmes at the district level, he added.

Under the programmes, the officers are going to the public and delivering the benefits to the doorsteps, the chief minister stressed, highlighting the sincerity and hard-work of the officers.

Biren said under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has initiated various missions like Atmanirbhar Bharat and being vocal for local, India has witnessed improvement in trade and commerce and in almost every field including defence and export sectors.

The stakeholders consultations meet was organised by the District Administration, Imphal East.

Biren said today the state government has also initiated the One Product One Sub-division Scheme and a Prabhari has been appointed as in-charge for each 68 sub-divisions. He elaborated that every sub-division will have its own product.

The chief minister highlighted the need to attract investors to bring development, and to develop infrastructure for that. The state has received a proposal for conducting the Femina Miss India contest, he said, and further explained the need to create infrastructure to host such events.

Highlighting the government’s plans for developing infrastructure in the state, N. Biren Singh deliberated on the under construction Olympic Park, setting up of a 5-star status hotel at the Old High Court site, night landing facility at the Imphal Airport.

He continued that Manipur has a huge production capacity of turmeric, pineapple, ginger, etc. Stating that products of the state are in high demand outside, Biren said the state had recently exported pineapple and 10 tonnes of turmeric powder to Europe.

The chief minister stressed on the workings of Women Self Help Groups in the state, and added that banks have witnessed an improvement in bank loan repayment over the past few years and that rural economy in the state has also improved.

Textiles, commerce and industry minister Nemcha Kipgen said the scheme is aimed at targeting export promotion, manufacturing and employment generation at the grassroot level and making India an export powerhouse, thereby contributing to the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission and to implement the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of Made in India and being vocal for local.

She added that the products identified for Imphal East district, Chakhao or black rice, pineapple and diversified handloom and handicraft are the most potential products not only for Imphal East but for the whole of Manipur.

Commissioner TCI, PK Jha said on a pilot basis, 75 districts from all over the country have been identified as export hubs out of which in Manipur, Imphal East district has been identified.

He also said that Women Self Help Groups will play an important role and that the MSRLM is also on board for the centrally sponsored scheme.

He said the concepts of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local are the driving ideas behind the scheme and that it will give a major boost in developing districts as manufacturing hubs and to generate local employment and also to bring the State to the export map of the world.

The inaugural session was also attended by deputy commissioner Imphal East Kh. Diana Devi, Joint DGFT, Kolkata Amit Sharma officials, stakeholders, among others.