Impressed with Manipur’s all-women’s market at Ima, Congress MP Vincent H Pala has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to consider setting up similar markets which encourage retail entraprenuership among members of the fairer sex, in all districts of Meghalaya.
The Ima market or the Khwairamband Keithel is a market in the heart of Imphal city in Manipur run entirely by women with no male vendors allowed to function there.
“I have written to Prime Minister requesting him to set up women-led markets in every district in Meghalaya. This will boost not just the earning of women but will also lead to improved dignity, livelihoods, and better management of the family,” Pala told PTI today.
“Women-owned business enterprises are playing a prominent role in society by generating employment opportunities in the country, bringing demographic shifts and inspiring the next generation of women founders,” he said, adding that in Meghalaya women are responsible for the upbringing and management of the family.
According to theveteran MP, there is an uptick in the trend of women emerging as entrepreneurs and this has led to significant business and economic growth in the country.
Pala also sought opening up of land custom stations at Kuliang in East Jaintia Hills district to facilitate import and export of goods and services.
“It is suitable to open up a land customs station through Lukha river which can be best used to export limestone and coal including other items between India and Bangladesh,” he stated.
The MP also demanded construction of roads and bridges for residents of Saipung and Narpuh reserve forest in East Jaintia Hills district where about 10,000 forest dwellers are suffering from poor communication facilities.
“Lack of roads and bridges hamper the livelihood of the people living in the forest by keeping them isolated,” he told the PM in the letter submitted recently.
The Shillong MP also sought widening and improving of NH-6 connecting Mizoram and Tripura with Guwahati through Meghalaya.
“The 2 lanes between Jowai and Ratacherra are not meeting traffic requirements thereby leading to increased congestion. I appreciate if you could speed up the construction process using innovative technologies at the earliest,” he told the PM. (PTI)
