Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today said that the State Government has disbursed Rs. 124 crore in the last 3.5 years to Self Help Groups (SHGs) to enhance livelihood and ensure financial stability.
The amount was through the National Rural Livelihood Mission which was 35 crore in the last 10 years (prior to 2018). He also said loans amounting to 66 crore was also distributed, which was earlier 12 crore.
Speaking at the SHG Mela held at Thadlaskein in West Jaiñtia Hills, he stated that the MDA government is doing things differently to ensure growth and development in the State.
“When we say, we will do things differently, we mean that we will improve the efficiency and delivery mechanism of governance… and this is what the MDA government has achieved by ensuring that the same schemes reach more people through efficient delivery. We have ensured that the efficiency level has gone up, which has enabled us to help lakhs of people,” he added.
Sangma said that the government has institutionalised the SHG movement in the State, with the objective to make the SHGs the ‘front-end’ of the government.
“It is a network that can create miracles in the State. It is a network that can change, the dynamics of our livelihood, our health, our education and our children’s future. Everything can happen through this very strong and magical network of women groups,” he asserted.
During the SHG mega mela, the Chief Minister along with MLA of Jowai, Wailadmiki Shylla distributed loans worth Rs 82 lakhs to 82 SHGs, which were sanctioned by the Meghalaya Rural Bank (MRB), the nodal bank which has affiliation with the government for implementation of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
Also, the Community Investment Fund to 11 Village Organisations (VOs) for 113 SHGs amounting to Rs 56.5 lakhs and the Vulnerability Reduction Fund amounting to Rs 15 lakhs to 15 VOs were distributed during the programme.
Further, under Meghalaya’s biggest farmers’ welfare program ‘FOCUS’ (Farmers Collectivisation for Upscaling Marketing Systems, the Chief Minister distributed cheques amounting to Rs 29.90 lakhs to 46 Producer Groups impacting over 500 farmers in West Jaiñtia Hills District.
