Collective effort required to boost Manipur economy— Yumnam Joykumar

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Feb. 8 (EMN): Manipur Deputy Chief Minister, Yumnam Joykumar who also holds the Finance portfolio, on Monday informed the Manipur Legislative Assembly that collective co-ordinated effort between various departments and stakeholders is needed to boost up the economy of the state.

On the fourth day of the 12th session of the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly, Joykumar was responding to general discussions on Budget Estimates, 2021-22.

Joykumar said the agriculture and allied activities have to be enhanced as the state depends on agrarian economy. He said agriculture and allied activities can be improved only when coordinated efforts with departments like Minor Irrigation, Water Resources etc. and other stakeholders are taken up.

With these efforts, double cropping, mixed cropping can be taken up to have surplus agricultural products which in turn will improve the state’s economy.

Joykumar further said that “economic projections can be made only when we have visions in different sectors”.

Proposals are also made after taking due consideration of the probable rate of revenue generations. Welcoming the observations and suggestions made by the members of the house, the minister said that improvement in the economy of the state can be made possible when all the departments and stakeholders coordinate with each other and it is in this direction that the government is working with a vision.

Reflecting various provisions made in his budget speech, he said that the present budget estimate has the provision of rehabilitation of returnees from various parts of the country and abroad in this (Covid) pandemic situation. With a view to generate employment and under the initiative of the Prime Minister’s Atma Nirbhar flagship programme, start-up scheme has also been launched in the state.

“Unemployed returnees can get this opportunity to start their own business to generate income under the scheme,” he added.

Earlier, opposition congress MLAs Govindas Konthoujam(Bishnupur), K Meghachandra(Wangkhem) and Surjakumar Okram(Khangabok) expressed their views on the Budget Estimates 2021-22 and urged the government to make it a realistic budget.

Later, the house passed demands for supplementary grants 2020-21 amounting to INR 3177,24,35,119 and also passed the Manipur Appropriation (No.1) Bill, 2021(Bill No.10 of 2021) and the Manipur Appropriation (No.3) Bill, 2021(Bill No.12 of 2021).

During zero hour, Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh informed the state assembly that thorough investigation will be conducted in connection with the recent attack by unidentified miscreants on a MCS officer who was on his way back to Imphal after joining as ADC, Noney at an area between Charoi Padongba and CRPF Camp along Imphal-Jiribam National Highway on February 2.