Manipur is situated in the eastern-most corner of northeast India. The state shares borders with other northeast states like Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam as well as with the neighbouring country of Myanmar. Due to its wealth of flora and fauna, Manipur is described as a ‘flower on lofty heights’, ‘a jewel of India’ and ‘Switzerland of the East’. Its breath-taking scenic beauty makes it a tourist’s paradise.
Manipur has the advantage of acting as India’s ‘Gateway to the East’ through Moreh town, which is the only feasible land route for trade between India and Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries. With about 3,268 square kms of area covered by bamboo forests, Manipur is one of India’s largest bamboo producing states and a major contributor to the country’s bamboo industry. In 2017, the state accounted for 10,687 square kms of bamboo bearing area.
Manipur has the highest number of handicrafts units as well as the highest number of craft persons comprising skilled and semi-skilled artisans in the entire northeast region. Handlooms is the largest cottage industry in Manipur and the state ranks among the top five in terms of the number of looms in the country.
At current prices, Manipur’s GSDP is likely to reach Rs. 376.82 billion (US$ 5.19 billion) in 2020-21(BE). The state’s GSDP expanded at a CAGR of 14.05% between 2015-16 and 2020-21(BE).
Total merchandise exports from Manipur stood at US$ 0.95 million in FY21. In FY21, medical and scientific instruments accounted for a majority (55%) of the merchandise exports of the state. As of February 2021, Manipur had a total installed power generation capacity of 261.82 MW.
As of April 2021, Manipur had a total installed power generation capacity of 261.82 MW. The state has a potential to generate hydropower equivalent to 2,200 MW.
Imphal, Manipur’s capital city, has one airport and Air India provides air cargo services. Eleven national highways, with a total length of 1,750 kms, run through the state. Indian Railways is constructing the world’s highest pier bridge across the river Ijai in Manipur. The construction of the Manipur Pier Bridge is worth Rs. 2.8 billion (US$ 38 million) and is scheduled for completion in March 2022.
Mr. Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs, laid the foundation for 13 highway projects in August 2020 and launched a road safety project in Manipur.
According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), cumulative Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow in Manipur** amounted to US$ 122 million between April 2000 and September 2019.
KEY SECTORS
- In FY20, Manipur recorded production of the following cocoons: Mulberry – 1,226.37 MT, Eri – 434.32 MT, Tasar – 156.20 lakh and Muga – 86.44 lakh.
- In 2019-20, the total production of horticulture crops in the state was expected to be 948.03 thousand tonnes and area under production was 97.34 thousand hectares. In 2019-20, the total production of vegetables and fruits in the state was estimated at 0.391 million tonnes and 0.527 million tonnes, respectively.
- In May 2021, Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA), a unit of the state’s horticulture and soil conservation department, introduced a mobile app to deliver fresh vegetables for day-to-day consumption and curb the distress sales of farm produces amid the lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.
- Three common facility centres for bamboo processing have been established at Tamenglong, Churachandpur, and Imphal. Government of Manipur is building a Bamboo Technology Park at Kadamtala, Jiribam with an estimated cost of US$ 104.3 million. In FY21, the annual allocation in Manipur to implement the ‘National Bamboo Mission’ stood at Rs. 65 million (US$ 0.88 million).
- Manipur is the first state in India to have set up the 4-core infrastructure of the National e-Governance Plan – Common Service Centre, Statewide Area Network, State Data Centre and State Portal, and State Service Delivery Gateway and e-forms.
- Raw silk production in Manipur stood at 470 metric tonnes in 2019-20 (as of April 2020).
- Hydropower majors such as Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) are jointly setting up a mega hydroelectric power project at Tipaimukh with an investment of US$ 2.0 billion.