TURA, Jan 14: Much to the delight of farmers and the local populace, the much-awaited farmers’ market at Jengjal, around 36 km from Tura, was inaugurated by Cabinet Minister James PK Sangma on Saturday.
Augmented with a modern outlook and concepts, the market is located on both sides of the National Highway 51 at Jengjal, West Garo Hills.
The market is funded by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
The project was built at a cost of Rs 9.82 crore and was implemented by the District Rural Development Agency, Tura.
The work on the project had commenced in January 2020.
The entire build-up area, as per the plan, is divided into five sections, and has 34 rooms built in a rectangular double-lined fashion, besides a parking bay, a restroom and separate toilets for men and women.
The infrastructure aims to provide storage and marketing of goods and products and also serve as a common platform for marketing of indigenous and entrepreneurial products of farmers, producers, self-help groups, and traders from Jengjal as well as the adjoining and interconnecting villages.
The facility is expected to act as storehouses and godowns for bulk storage of local products, such as areca nut, ginger, pepper, pumpkins etc., prior to their marketing to neighbouring states, besides serving as the main centre for exchange of goods and cash which in turn would promote business activities in the area.
Speaking on the occasion, James PK Sangma said that the infrastructure, built with a very well-thought-out plan and in a systematic manner, was no ordinary market in the sense that there are only two or three such markets in the entire state.
The minister said that the state government is focussing its attention towards developing agriculture and allied activities in a bid to uplift the status of farmers.
Talking about FOCUS and FOCUS+, James said the two schemes have proved to be very helpful in providing a boost to agriculture and livestock products.
He said the government is envisaging a link between all the related and connected services and agriculture to further improve the economic condition of the farmers.
(Contd on P-4)
Jengjal farmers’ market inaugurated…
(Contd from P-3) James informed the gathering that a committee will be formed involving all stakeholders to devise plans to run the market in a systematic manner and to sustain it in the long run.
James, who is the local MLA, also laid the foundation stone for Jengjal Multipurpose Indoor Sports Complex, which would come up on the spot adjacent to the farmers’ market, to be built under the Khelo India Scheme at a cost of Rs 8.54 crore.
