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Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 25 (EMN): Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the presence of Agriculture minister Oinam Lukhoi, additional chief secretary of Horticulture and Soil Conservation P Vaiphei, commissioner of Agriculture M Joy, and Moma project director K Devdutta Sharma, flagged off vehicles carrying planting material, seeds and sprinklers for registered farmers from Horticulture and Soil Conservation departments, government of Manipur , in Imphal on June 25.
The planting materials and seeds would go directly to 50 farmer producer companies, while the sprinkler sets would go through district offices to be distributed as part of the component of the micro irrigation scheme, which is an end-to-end solution at their level.
The planting materials and seeds are distributed under Phase-III Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region, Manipur, while sprinkler sets are being distributed under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (Horticulture), Manipur.
Speaking at the occasion, Biren Singh informed that a mass plantation programme would be held at Churachandpur district on June 30 in coordination with various civil society organisations (CSOs) of the district. He said that certain areas, where poppy plantation was carried out earlier are now cleared by district administration and volunteers for alternative plantation. He has appreciated the CSOs and the public for supporting the government to root out poppy plantation.
He also expressed happiness on learning that 268 hectares of land, where poppy plantation was widely done earlier would be replaced by other suitable plants. He has stressed on the necessity for timely arrangement and distribution of materials required for farming and agriculture to ensure adequate food production in the coming year. The chief minister further asked the concerned officials to do field visits in continuation of the 'Go to village and go to hills' mission of the government and regularly update the work carried out by them.