Apparently under pressure from the employees of Panchayati Raj institutions, Manipur Government has ordered devolution of power to them regarding veterinary and fisheries departments.

A notification to the effect of trasfer of power to panchayats regarding selection of beneficiaries for providing subsidy in kind for rearing cattle and pits has since been issued.

The Panchayati Raj institutions will also handle pasture development and slaughter houses, the mini kit programme and construction and maintenance, the notification added.

It further said that the Panchayati Raj institutions shall select beneficiaries for providing subsidy or cross breed female to improve piglet rearing, arrange development of grazing prescribed under the schemes, construction and maintenance of slaughter houses and provide required size of land for such activities. The State veterinary department would provide required staff as and when asked for.

Following a decision by the State Cabinet to develop powers to the Panchayati Raj institutions in Manipur, in respect of State fisheries department, the State Government notified that implementation and supervision of certain schemes for economic development and justice had been vested on local rural bodies.

The notification said the Panchayati Raj institutions would arrange marketing of table fish and fish seeds through fish marketing cooperative societies which would in turn arrange for marketing other said commodities produced by primary cooperatives.

The State fisheries department would depute one fisheries instructor and five assistants to each zilla parishad to render technical assistance to Panchayati Raj institutions for successful implementation of the schemes, the notification added.

Earlier, the members of the Manipur State Panchayat Parishad (MSPP) decided to withdraw their fast-unto-death for devolution of powers to the Panchayati Raj bodies after the Rural and Panchayati Raj Minister N. Behari fulfilled part of their demands.