Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem has sought special funds for farmers whose crops are destroyed by wild animals.
The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government has been dishing out plum posts and big projects to the constituencies of the five Congress MLAs who defied their party to pledge their support to the MDA.
Today, Syiem, one of those five Congress legislators, urged the government to set aside financial aid for farmers who lose their crops to wild animals. In his constituency, and the wider Ri-Bhoi, such cases are apparently common.
“Every year wild animals destroy the crops and there’s no compensation from the government. There should be some kind of initiative to have a special fund earmarked for farmers who bear such losses,” said Syiem.
The MLA also rued the fact that, though there are schemes and initiatives to help distressed farmers, there is still a lack of awareness of them. He urged the government to conduct awareness drives and encourage farmers to register for the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a crop insurance scheme.
Once a critic and now a supporter, Syiem added that the state government has done a lot for the state’s farmers through its FOCUS programme that aims to provide better market access.
