Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today announced that the State through the National Rural Livelihood Mission will sanction Rs 20 crore as community investment fund to be transferred to 896 village organisations across 12 districts of the State.
Speaking at a SHG mela in Mawryngkneng the chief minister said that the fund will benefit 4676 SHGs impacting 46,700 households in the State.
Out of the 20 crores, 4 crore is sanctioned to East Khasi Hills and 1 crore for Mawryngkneng block, he informed.
At the mela five VOs from Mawryngkneng received the CIF Fund amounting to Rs 43 lakh.
He further informed that in addition to the fund, Rs 5 lakhs bank loan was sanctioned on the occasion to five SHGs from Mawryngkneng block.
Sangma said the self help group movement has empowered women in rural areas. “This is an achievement that most states in the country have not been able to achieve and this has been possible only because of the hard work that has been put in by the officials and the active participation of the women of the State,” he said.
He further added that the government is now looking at these Self Help Groups to be formed into cooperative societies so that more help and financial support can be given.
“The Self Help Groups are very important to society because it also creates a system and mechanism where the government can reach every single household and help the people participate in various health, education and environmental programmes of the government through them,” he said.
Earlier en route to Mawryngkneng the Chief Minister also interacted with students and teachers from Presbyterian Secondary School, Mawlyngngad, St Mazarello Secondary School, Mawlyngngad, Mt Zion Secondary School, Sohryngkham and Green Hills Secondary School, Sohryngkham.
