Chief Minister Conrad Sangma yesterday inaugurated the SHG Mega Event cum Health Mela at Union Christian College, Umiam Khwan.
In his address to the gathering, the CM emphasized the importance of Self Help Groups. He said that the government has always felt the need to protect and support the grass root level systems.
“The Government strongly felt the only way to do it was to create an institution at the grass root level to be able to reach out to every household in the state,” he said.
There are now 36,000 SHGs across the state, he said, and the aim is to increase this to 42,000 in the next one year.
Sangma also inaugurated the Mawlyndep Community Centre and BioFloc Fish Tanks in Mawlyndep, Ri-Bhoi.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Chief Minister said that the Mawlyndep Community Centre is one of the best of its kind in the state.
He said that Mawlyndep has a potential for tourism and can be developed into a tourism road circuit with many resorts, restaurants and other facilities along the stretch.
He further said that the Rs 15 crore that has been sanctioned by the World Bank for the development of the road leading to Mawmaram will also boost tourism in the area.
The Mawlyndep Community Centre was partially funded by Chief Minister’s Special Development Fund.
Meanwhile, inaugurating the BioFloc Fish Tanks, the CM said that 30,000 tonnes of fish annually is consumed in Meghalaya.
“The state produces only about 50 percent of the total consumption, so there is a huge gap in the demand and supply,” Sangma said. He added that the livelihood and the income that can be generated by using such kind of technology will not only meet the demand but can change lives thereby improving also the economy of the state.
