Editor,
I fully agree with the views of Mr. K.N. Kumar in his article “Meghalaya’s farm mechanization” (ST September 14, 2021) that agriculture in Meghalaya needs mechanization if “it does not want to disrupt its food security” and also to make it a viable occupation. The condition of the farmers today in our state can best be understood by asking the students, “Who wants to become a farmer when you grow up?” The answer will tell the story.
Meghalaya with its small population makes the availability of agricultural workers very acute and according to “the 2011 census report the percentage of agricultural labourers in Meghalaya is a very low 16.7% (as against the national availability of 41.49%)” and because of this labour shortage the daily cost of labour is very high adding to the overall cost of production which even the minimum support price will not yield any profit margin to the farmers.( inputs from Mr. Kumar’s article)
The introduction of large scale mechanized farming will go a long way in cutting the cost of production besides encouraging the formation of cooperative societies among small land-holdings . Kumar had also suggested increasing the number of Government Custom Hiring Centres for marginalized farmers and a ten-fold increase in the annual government investment in this scheme.
But this shortage of agricultural workers in our state is further compounded by our system of inheritance where property including land is not inherited by the sons of the family but by the youngest daughter. So while he might till the family land when he is still single and living with the family, he will have to work on someone else’s (wife’s) land when he’s married . Not having any ownership over land makes many Khasi men look for alternative means of employment if available and this further adds to the shortage of manpower in agriculture. When there is no bond with the land, the enthusiasm to develop and improve it is not there and that’s the reason why many agricultural lands are left fallow or sold off for non- farm activities.
The Maitshaphrang’s campaign for a law on ‘Equitable Distribution of Ancestral and Self Acquired Property’ will help in reducing this manpower shortage; take the cooperative movement and mechanization of agriculture forward, because as owners of the land, faced with dwindling employment opportunities elsewhere, a man will go the extra mile to make farming a profitable occupation. With the government setting up more cold storage facilities and providing assistance in marketing the agricultural products, farming will then be a thriving economic activity. With this in place, if we are also to learn from Israel how they’ve successfully turned their 65% desert country into a major exporter of agricultural and horticultural products, we will surely turn our fertile lands into an envy of every state in India.
Yours etc.,
Michael. N Syiem,
Via email
Good governance a casualty
Editor,
Apropos the recent letter of Angela Lyngdoh commenting on the poor governance prevailing in our state, everyone will agree that good governance demands that we have good governors which, sadly, is missing in our state of Meghalaya. When the majority of our so-called governors are more interested in enriching themselves and their kith and kin and not involved in effective governance for the benefit of the people of the state, there is only one direction in which the state can head towards and that is downwards. The hot topic nowadays in most conversations is how corruption has been institutionalised – a friend of mine had jokingly suggested that the name of Meghalaya should be changed to Marolaya!! Our forefathers must be turning over in their graves at the present state of affairs where ‘kamai ia ka hok’ has been replaced by ‘troh kat ba ioh’. Our only hope is in our up and coming youth else Meghalaya is, to put it succinctly, doomed.
Yours etc.,
DM Pariat,
Aberystwyth,Wales
Congress must remain united
Editor,
The internal squabbles of the Congress are like a bad taste in the mouth. If the intention of the Party is to serve the people of the state and provide the much- needed good governance then the senior leaders should rise above personal differences and think instead of what will be the outcome should the same set of MLAs return to power in 2023. It is bad enough that even as Meghalaya heads towards its 50th year the state does not even have a railhead that could help many with wholesale food grains and other businesses requiring big consignments to come to Meghalaya without requiring road transportation and negotiating with the cabal in Assam.
Meghalaya requires rapid development to make up for all the wasted years when precious time was wasted dealing with communal politics triggered by insecure politicians wanting to get into the Meghalaya Assembly. Much was expected from the NPP Government led by a well-spoken, suave Chief Minister graduating from two foreign institutions. But perhaps those institutions didn’t teach ethics and governance which to the present set of MLAs appears to be an oxymoron. The medical colleges have not yet been started. The new Assembly building is yet to be completed after twenty years. It’s doubtful if the building will be completed by next year. Even potable water supply to urban Shillong remains in the realm of the impossible. In the 21st century we the residents of this city are having to drink turbid water. Or is the Government expecting us to drink bottled water?
We seem doomed to suffer because of the leadership vacuum. The Congress Party with people like RG Lyngdoh rejoining it will be a big boost. Lyngdoh was responsible for taking on the HNLC and eroding its cadre strength. We can never forget that era in the history of our state. I am not sure how VH Pala the new Meghalaya Congress President will be as the Chief Minister of the State because that is his ambition I believe. Dr Mukul Sangma ruled the state for nearly seven years. Perhaps it’s time for the Congress to have a new Legislature Party leader. The Congress can defeat the Opposition NPP only if it remains united. That’s the litmus test. We are unsure now if the TMC will also be the new entrant to Meghalaya. If that happens many disgruntled Congressmen and some from the NPP might join Mamata’s Party. At least there will be some options for the people. Hopefully the TMC will encourage new faces to join it.
Yours etc.,
Bristar Lyngdoh Nongbri,
Via email