All Manipur Progressive Farmers Association demands subsidized electricity rates

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Nov 4: All Manipur Progressive Farmers Association has raised a demand to the Government of Manipur urging the Administration to subsidize electricity stating that farmers spend a huge amount of money on fuels to supply water to their fields.
The demand was made at a meeting with media persons held today at Manipur Press Club by Sapam Lukhoi, a member of All Manipur Progressive Farmers Association. He added that a large portion of agricultural fields in the State suffer from insufficient water supply due to inadequate irrigation facilities. As a result, farmers solve this problem by using petrol/diesel pumps to supply water from nearby ponds or lakes into the fields. Hence, he urged the Government to provide electricity at subsidy rates in agricultural fields for farmers so that the money spent on fuels can be diverted to the purchase of fertilisers, seeds and other  necessary items.
Sapam Lukhoi also appealed to the Government to instruct  the concerned Department to supervise the planting of vegetables after harvest season and distribute the seeds suitable for the season.
He also addressed  various other issues plaguing farmers such as the problem surrounding the timely availability of fertilizers, lack of canals and by extension proper irrigation systems and the stockpiling of previous year's grains leading to a lack of warehousing space for this year's harvest.
S Lukhoi fervently urged the Administration to solve these issues in order to ensure bountiful harvests and self-sufficiency in agricultural items.