By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister Bindo M Lanong has stressed on the need to have a threadbare discussion by all concerned on the ways and means to see the woollen industry come up in the State.
“As of now, the State is only acting as a beneficiary and consumer in terms of the products which are being produced by the woollen industries. We are totally depending from outside especially from Punjab in terms of woolen products,” Lanong said while addressing a round table discussion on creation of wool banks in North Eastern states organized here on Wednesday.
Even though there is no unit of wool production in the State at present, Deputy Chief Minister feels that it is time for the State to think in terms of expanding cattle rearing and not only look in terms of meat or milk industry.
With support from the Central wool development board (CWDB) and the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), Lanong said, the state would go ahead to create new avenues in cattle rearing by coming up with wool industry.
“In one go, we can keep up to 10,000 thousand sheeps which will spread over different districts of the state,” he said.
He also encouraged farmers to take up sheep rearing apart from other livestock.
He informed that the Meghalaya animal husbandry and veterinary department has thought of starting cattle rearing in a big way for farmers so that a big margin of benefit could be derived from such activities.
Meanwhile, the Central Wool Development Board has decided to constitute Wool Bank in the region so that the woolen products can also be locally produced.
The Central Wool Development Board has conceded to set up the Wool Bank by sanctioning the requisite fund to any Government or agency in North East region under “Revolving Fund for marketing of raw wool” scheme.
Commenting on this, Lanong stated that the proposed wool bank in the region will generate livelihood and generate employment.
According to Lanong, the State Governments must avail the revolving fund and set up requisite wool bank as the demand of woolen products is vast due to the fact that North Eastern part of India is comprised mainly of hilly states where the duration of winter lasts longer than other parts of the country.