Union MoS RK Ranjan on Friday emphasised job creations by producing more entrepreneurs to help liberate the youths from substance abuse.
RK Ranjan was speaking at the launching of "Livelihood Enhancement of Rural Farmers through Agro and Spice Product Processing and Packaging Unit" at Kongpal Chanam Leikai, Imphal East.
It was implemented by the Center for Rural Empowerment and Development Organisation (CREDO) under the sponsorship of North East Center for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR).
Owing to lack of job opportunities and remaining jobless, many youths today are turning to substance abuse, Ranjan said, adding that providing job opportunities to the youths is the solution to prevent substance abuse.
Ranjan said that institute like IBSD and NECTAR can link up with the entrepreneurs and create jobs or provide skill development programmes to keep the youth engage poductively.
He said that the IBSD was established in the state with the motive to raise the living standards of the people of Manipur by utilising its rich biodiversity in a sustainable manner.
Scientists have declared the India-Myanmar border a hotspot of biodiversity which needs preservation and conservation, he added.
The soil of Manipur is suitable for the growth of various rare species of flora, he said, adding that as many as 86 varieties of ginger and 65 varieties of bamboo are found in Manipur.
The MoS also said that present government gives emphasis on value addition to farm products by ways of intervening in the traditional method with science and technology thereby doubling the farmer’s income.
He suggested that exporting the state's natural products by ways of value addition as well as maintaining its traditional pattern and legacy will give a big boost to the economy of the state.
Citing the development of an anti-fungus from Xanthium strumarium (Samnapi) seeds by IBSD which can be applied to fruits especially pineapple, he said there are so many other herbs which can develop its value with the intervention of science and technology.
He urged CREDO to provide skill development programme for the students and extend support to the NEP 2020 which assures vocational and skill developmental programme for the students.
In his keynote address, advisor of CREDO Sh Indrakumar Sharma said that the core working area of CREDO is to uplift the ability of the farmer to make them perform all the tasks in their respective fields and provide a platform for solving their concerns pertaining to farming.
The newly inaugurated processing unit will be extending its service to the farmers for processing of their products. Moreover it will provide skill upgradation training with dedicated staff of the organisation to support the farmers from grassroots level to global for sustainability livelihood by promoting the agro and spice products of the farmers to international market, he added.
The function was also attended by director general of NECTAR Arun Kumar Sarma; technical advisor of NECTAR Krishna Kumar; Scientist E of IBSD, Imphal H Nanaocha Sharma; founder of X5 Retail Pradeep Singh Shekhawat among others.
