Manipur Speaker Y Khemchand on Saturday assured to provide support in establishing a printing park in Manipur for the welfare of the printing press community of Manipur.
He was delivering the chief guest speech during the Promotion Meet of Indian Printing Packaging and Allied Machinery Association (IPAMA)'s 15th Print Pack India and golden Jubilee celebration of All Manipur Press Association (AMPA) at Hotel Imphal in Imphal West.
Khemchand expressed dismay that the printing press community, which is one of the biggest industrial sectors, has been left ignored by the government.
Appreciating the stand of the Indian printing press community for making Manipur a ‘common facility centre’ for printing press concerning the Southeast Asian Trans Highway, he said, “Such will give a great opportunity to the printing press community of the state.”
Regarding the concern of not releasing subsidies to the printing press of Manipur by the state government, he assured to forward their grievances to the minister concerned.
Delivering the introductory speech of the programme, GC member of AIFMP Kh Krishnan informed that the printing press community had been in a rough time for almost two years due to the pandemic.
Fortunately, with the relaxation following the ebbing of the second wave, the press community is now slowly recovering, he added. He pointed out that India ranks the second highest among the countries of the world, in providing employment in the printing press sector by employing around 25 lakhs people. It is one of the largest contributors of the country's GDP, he added.
In the context of Manipur, he said that it has been providing employment to around 10,000 individuals.
Krishnan also boldly stated that the printing quality of Manipur press is the top in the entire Northeast region, though the state adopted the latest printing technology (CTP) only in 2010.
He further informed that the governor of Manipur has given his assurance of establishing a printing park for the printing press community of Manipur recently.
The function was also attended by IPAMA immediate past president S Dayaker Reddy and president of AMPA and vice-president (East) of AIFMP Senjam Surjit as presidium members.
