It’s a win-win situation for panchayats in Manipur that will now rejoice at the sight of rain, with an opportunity to harvest rainwater and win Rs 5 lakh.
Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday announced that the top performing panchayat to harvest rainwater would be given a cash prize.
The officials concerned, pradhans and zilla parishad members will be honoured at a state-level function, the chief minister said.
The announcement was made at the meeting with the elected members of the panchayati raj institutions held at the chief minister’s secretariat.
Biren Singh said, “We all should work collectively at the grassroots to conserve and preserve rainwater and groundwater in the state.”
Saying that the rainwater harvesting mission is the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the chief minister urged the people and the officials concerned to find ways to harvest the rainwater for farming purposes during the lean season.
He said the current BJP government has initiated rainwater harvesting schemes in hill areas such as Tamei, Chandel, Senapati, Ukhrul and Churachandpur.
Such schemes have been constructed with an approximate cost of Rs 2 crore each by the minor irrigation department, he added.
The chief minister said the Building By-Laws Act has been amended so that the newly constructed buildings can install a rainwater harvesting system.
He appealed to the elected representatives of the panchayati raj institutions to
keep an eye on the illegal sale and purchase of land property in their respective areas as well.
A state-level committee would be formed to check the illegal sale and purchase of land in the state, said the chief minister.
He also urged the elected leaders to restrict the construction of buildings on the paddy fields in the state.
Chief secretary J. Suresh Babu, additional chief secretary Letkhogin Haokip, adhyaksha of Bishnupur Zilla Parisha, Romabai Leirenjam, deputy commissioners of valley districts, adhyakshas and zilla parishad members of various panchayats attended the function.
