Author: editor

Jiten Yumnam, Development Aggression Rethinking India’s Neoliberal Development in Manipur, Yaol Publishing Limited, London, 2021

Book Review

Reviewed by Khullakpham Ruqaiya

The book is a must read book for anyone who is interested in development politics in Manipur, one of the states in the north-eastern region of India. Manipur is known for conflict-prone situation due to multiple inter and intra-ethnic conflicts coupled with problems of insurgency and low economic growth. The Indian state after adopting the Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization policy in 1991 intensified the course for a neoliberal model of development. The trajectory of development that the postcolonial Indian state pursues is to bring security to its conflict-prone situation. However since three decades, the neoliberal agenda of development was best reflected in the formulation of the Look East Policy (LEP) rechristened as the Act East Policy (AEP) to realise the region’s strategic location and utilize its untapped resources by initiating development projects aimed for increasing connectivity with the neighbouring South East Asian nations. Therefore, a critical examination of the neoliberal developmental intervention and a study of its implications in the region are highly necessary and this enlightening book strikes at this juncture to explore and analyse the practices of development in the region.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12784642

Dynamics of Land Use and Trends of Agriculture in Sikkim

Article

By Anjuli Gurung and Abdul Hannan

Sikkim is a Himalayan state, where more than 64% of its populace still depends on agriculture and its allied sectors. As land plays an important role in agriculture, it is vital to comprehend how the land use change makes an impact on the growth of agriculture in Sikkim. State experienced different farming practices over the period of time. Before the merger with Indian union in 1975, there was a traditional farming practice in Sikkim. But with the merger, state got influenced by ‘Green Revolution’ which introduced chemical based farming (conventional farming). However, during the year 2003 state government took an initiative to convert all the cultivable land into organically cultivable land and became fully organic state in 2016. With the changing pattern of agriculture, land use pattern also get influence. The study found that the net sown area has decreased in all the districts except the east district during 2010-11 from the year 2005-06. Net sown area has decreased, however, there is an increase in the area of current fallow and culturable waste land. The forest area has also increased in Sikkim during 2010-11. The number of operational holdings of all the classes has decreased except the large class. The operated area of all the class has decreased except the medium class. The number and area of irrigation holdings has decreased in north and east district, however, there is an increase in the irrigation status in south and west district. The cropping intensity has also increased in 2010-11 from 2005-06 in Sikkim. The secondary source of data has been used for the study.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12784620

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Across the Chicken Neck: Travel in Northeast India

Book Review

By Kekhriesituo Yhome

Across the Chicken Neck is a book written by Nandita Haskar, a human rights lawyer and activist, someone who has an in-depth understanding of the Northeast India. In many occasions, she had represented the Northeast’s insurgent groups fighting against the Indian state for “self-determination”. In her previous writings, Haskar has critically voiced her opinion against the Indian state for the use of military power to suppress the movements in the Northeast. In her attempt to understand more about the Northeast, Haskar along with her husband, Sabestian Hongray decided to make a journey through the region, in their scorpio car. This book narrates the exciting, at times tiring, and sometime chilling experiences of the lone couple journey from Delhi traversing up and down the Eastern Himalayan mountains and back to Delhi.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772483

Rural Infrastructure Development through Community based Social Organisation: A Case Study of the Awang Sekmai village in Manipur

Article

By Doreshor Khwairakpam, R. Shankar and Mahua Mukherjee

The settlement infrastructure in most of the rural areas across the country is not well developed as compared to urban areas. Various Five Year Plans of Union Government undertook numerous schemes and programs considering the rural infrastructure development in both physical and social sectors, though objectives under such schemes and programmes are rarely fulfilled Community participation in rural development schemes bring greater success in addressing appropriate issues with quality delivery. Social organisation plays a very important role in the overall development of rural life. The Awang Sekmai village from Imphal-west in Manipur is an example where a traditional social organisation namely Awang Sekmai Schedule Caste Development Committee (ASSCDC) is actively involved in the social and economic welfare of villagers. This organisation plays a very important role in infrastructure development, economic growth and self sustaining livelihoods for the villagers. This paper is about the ASSCDC, its organisational structure, role in rural infrastructure development and other social initiatives like sports in the Awang Sekmai village. The methodology of this research paper includes group discussion, interviews, field observation and household survey.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772447

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A Critical Study of Teacher Education Programmes in Manipur

Article

By Chirom Rebika Devi

The present study attempts to explore the development of teacher education in Manipur since independence, to study the present conditions and status of teacher education programmes with regard to pre-service, in-service, primary teacher education, secondary teacher education, to study the curriculum and its implementation in the Teacher Education Institutions with regard to physical facilities, teachers qualification, time-table, practice teaching, teaching method, evaluation and teacher’s professional attitude. It also explores the main problems of teacher education of elementary and secondary school teachers in the state and to make suggestions for the improvement of teacher education programme. The study is undertaken in one SCERT, five out of eight DIET and five B.Ed. colleges and of their teachers will constitute the sample of the study. For the study of the present conditions, status and problems the investigator adopted Normative-Survey Method of research by developing appropriate tools and techniques of data collection and visiting the institutions personally. An analysis and interpretation is made from the data collected through information sheets and questionnaire about the five B.Ed. colleges and five DIETs of teacher education in Manipur. Specific immediate measures needed to be taken up by the Government to remove the problems of teacher education and producing quality teachers to achieve qualitative improvement in education at any level in Manipur are suggested.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772431

Educated Unemployment in Sikkim: An Outcome of
Educational Development

Article

By Marchang Reimeingam

The paper attempts to show that educated unemployment problem is an outcome of educational development in Sikkim. Education is developing largely for entering into a formal job market. However, the existing educational system fails to produce all employable persons. As a result, the problem of educated unemployment became severe particularly for rural males in Sikkim. Educational system needs to be restructured towards job-oriented scheme. The growing population demands for an expansion of the base of educational institution. Employability is the major challenge to reduce the problem of unemployment.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772401

Ritual Festival for Appeasing Ancestral Gods: A Study of
Kanglei Lai-haraoba Festival of Manipur

Article

By Nganbi Chanu

Lai Haraoba is one of the most important indigenous ritual festivals celebrated by the Meitei community of Manipur. It is celebrated to propitiate and please the ancestral deities to get their blessings in return. It depicts the act of creating universe and its objects, and unveils the endless journey of universe through its ritualistic performances. It is celebrated in Manipur since time immemorial and is being continued till today. The festival includes rituals, ceremonial, dance, music, oral literatures (through hymn and songs) etc. which are handed down from one generation to another. It is inseparably linked with the evolution of human beings, how they took to settlement by satisfying their universal basic needs of food, clothing and shelter by cultivating, building houses, wearing, etc. The paper shows the significance of the Lai Haraoba in Manipuri Society and discusses Kanglei Haraoba and its special features. The finding presents the festival’s unique PreVaisnivite (Hindu) worldview, which in its aesthetic sensitivity discusses the core of Manipuri culture.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772378

The Status and Role of Women in Mizo Society

Article

By Janet C Lalhmingpuii and Vijanti Namchoom

This paper examines the status and role of Mizo women in the traditional society and their changes at the present situation in Mizoram. The paper focuses on the trends and directions of transformations in their positions in light of their share and status in the family, their contribution to the economy, their participation in politics and their functions in religious affairs.

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DOI:  https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772359

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Economic Growth and Development in Mizoram: A Study
of Pre-Independence Era

Article

By S Haukhanlian Mate

The economy of the Mizos in the early period has been an area of concern for many historians which still remains to be explored critically. In this paper, attempt has been made to present the Mizo economy in two period – Pre-Colonial period and Colonial Period. In the pre-colonial period, the Mizo economy was simple. Their economy was sustained by Jhum cultivation. Agriculture was their principal occupation. Besides agriculture, other ancillary activities like hunting, fishing, raids and wars, domestication of animals, hnatlang, cottage industries, etc. also played a very important part in their economy during that period. Jhuming continued to be the mainstay of the Mizo economy during the colonial period. However, trade and commerce was carried out by the Mizos with the neighbouring dwellers during this period. The idea of trade came into their minds with the establishment of bazaars in the border areas. The medium of exchange was still by ‘Barter System’. The chief commercial articles during the period are rubber, ivory, timber, bamboo, common salt, arms and ammunitions, tobacco, etc.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772346

Social Problems among the Adolescents of Manipur:
Role of Parents and Teachers

Article

By Khangembam Indira

Adolescents constitute more than one-fifth of the world’s population. India is home to more than 22.5 crore adolescents, the largest ever cohort of young people to make a transition to adulthood. Available evidence suggests that they are also often viewed as a vulnerable group of people with problems, disturbances and rebellion. Therefore, addressing the main problems faced by this segment of the population and improving the quality of life of the adolescents is imperative. The paper discusses the major problems faced by the adolescents in the Indian state of Manipur. The study attempts to highlight three prominent social problems viz., alcoholism, drug abuse and insurgency faced by the adolescents of Manipur and also discusses the role of parents and teachers in addressing these problems. I argue that the main problems facing the state of Manipur can be addressed to a significant extent by attending to the needs of the adolescent population of the state.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12772329

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