Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma today distributed cheques amounting to Rs.1.2 crore to 170 producer groups in Chokpot in South Garo Hills district through the Farmer’s Collectivization for Upscaling Production and Marketing Systems (FOCUS) programme.
The State government had launched the inclusive farmers’ welfare programme taking into consideration the economic hardship that the farming community had to face due to the Covid-19 pandemic. An estimated Rs 200 crore has been earmarked for the programme.
The chief minister informed that through FOCU over 4.5 lakh farmers in the State will be benefited. He said that through this programme the farmers are grouped together as farmers collective – producers groups and financial assistance of Rs 5000 each to each member in the group is provided. The funds can be used as seed money for upscaling farming activities, he added.
Sangma also attended the SHG Mela at the same venue and extended financial assistance worth Rs. 1.001 crore to 29 village organisations and SHGs.
He stated that the MDA government is happy to support the women-led SHG movement that is empowering enterprising women at the grassroot level. The government has introduced various funding options to encourage entrepreneurial activities, wherein interest-free loans are being provided to the people, he added.
He urged the public to take advantage of the welfare initiatives launched by the government and motivated people to form Self Help Groups and Cooperative Societies to avail the benefits of the schemes.
The chief minister further announced that Rs 100 crore plus has been sanctioned for various infrastructure development projects in Chokpot area, including water supply, guest house, new Civil Sub Division building and a road from 12 mile to Chokpot.
Clean Cookstoves under the CSR initiative of the Global Himalayan Expedition were also distributed to beneficiaries at the program.
