JOWAI: Organic farming, be it cultivation or rearing cattle is the only sustainable livelihood project in the world, said Chief Minister Mukul Sangma at a function at Laskein village, West Jaintia Hills on Friday.
“If you rear a cow and feed it with fertilized straw, it will give you chemically fertilised milk which is harmful to your health. Similarly if you grow your vegetable with artificial chemical – an inorganic fertilizer, you will consume all the harmful substances”, said the physician turned politician.
Sangma, along with the C&RD Minister, Comingone Ymbon and Parliamentary Secretary, Robinus Syngkon besides JHADC CEM, Awhoi Andrew Shullai and others from Laskein block attended the largest official function ever organized in the block on projects taken up under convergence approach by C&RD, MGNREGA, MBDA and Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department. The function was part of Meghalaya State Livestock Mission and the ‘Bottom 20’ programme launched in June, 2017.
The Laskein Block has recorded 1872 beneficiaries in just three months with a target to reach fifty thousand households this year”, informed Commissioner and Secretary, C&RD, P Sampath Kumar.The 200 crore project will benefit the poor farmers of the state, he said.
The local MLA, who is also Minister in charge of the C&RD Block urged the people of Laskein block to properly implement the schemes.
“I am proud of the people of Laskein block. We don’t have coal and lime stone here, yet our people are better than those who are dependent on mining activities”, Ymbon added.
Addressing the function Sangma stressed on the importance of promoting farming and tourism in the state.
CM says he is a farmer
Mukul added that he is a farmer and he has also convinced his second daughter to be a farmer.
“ I am going to convince my another daughter and son to take up farming once they return after their studies”, Sangma said. The chief minister said he tried to convince the ministers, MLAs, and officers to start farming.
Mining ban
Speaking on the ban on coal mining, Sangma said after he was elected as the chief minister in 2010, the government worked out state mining policy.
“However, the mining policy could not be implemented though it was approved in 2012 and since there were no proper rules and regulation, the NGT had imposed a ban on coal mining in 2014”, he said.
If the state had implemented the mining policy, the NGT would not have imposed ban on coal mining, he added.
Felicitation to various farmers and distribution of certificates along with seed money of Rs 5000 in the form of cheques also marked the occasion.
Awardees including Kelvin Suting,Bikdroo Latam and Asuk Suting were felicitated.
