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Manipur Cabinet plead for drought-hit status for State

By Correspondent

IMPHAL, July 21 - Manipur Cabinet has resolved to recommend the Union Government to announce State as drought-hit.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh chaired the Cabinet meeting which took the decision here on Saturday evening.

Government spokesperson Th Radheshyam, who is also the Education Minister, informed this at the end of the Cabinet meeting which was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Yumnam Joykumar, Forest and Environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar and Revenue and Consumers Affairs Minister Karam Shyam and others.

The State experienced only around 267.5 mm of rainfall this year, instead of the normal 661.6 mm between June 1 and July 19, according to India Meteorological Department. The rainfall deficit was 60 per cent in Manipur.

Considering the scanty rainfall across the State which entirely depends on the monsoon rain, the Agriculture department provided water pump sets to the farmers. As an immediate relief, 126 water pump sets were reportedly distributed.

The department also plans to provide a short duration paddy seedling to the affected farmers to manage the drought-like situation.

It is estimated that there is around two lakh hectares of paddy fields. However, due to scanty rainfall and lack of irrigation facilities, most of the paddy fields both in the hills and valley are facing drought-like situation.

Minister Radheshyam informed that New Development Bank has sanctioned Rs 3,282.02 crore for taking up water supply projects which has three components � Rs 1,157.33 crore for Integrated Imphal Water Supply, Phase III, Rs 434.38 crore for 25 towns and Rs 1,690.31 crore for 1,745 villages.

The project is a part of the Centre�s mission to provide safe drinking water to every household.

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