SHILLONG, June 1: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said that right environment is needed in the state for the private sector to flourish.
“While we are trying to boost the growth of the private sector in the state, Agriculture and Food Processing plays a vital role to ensure that we are able to provide economic benefits to the people and create the employment that is required,” he said, after flagging off the Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles at MAMETI, Upper Shillong.
According to a statement here, the programme was also attended by Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, Secretary of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare department Isawanda Laloo and officials from the same department.
In his address, the chief minister also commended the Agriculture department for giving a growth structure and support system to farmers, thereby increasing their income in the last few years with better technology and improved infrastructure.
“About 80 per cent of our people are in the farming sector. Therefore, it is important that our farmers are supported, hence many programmes have been initiated by the government to this end,” he said.
The chief minister also informed that an additional fleet of 200 Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles will be distributed in the next phase.
It may be mentioned that under the Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles, 200 vehicles will be distributed to cooperative societies, self-help groups, farmers producer organisations and individuals on 50 per cent subsidy on on-road cost of the vehicle.
The scheme is intended for rural people, who are remotely connected, bridging the transportation gaps while providing livelihood opportunities in the rural parts of the state.
A total of 20 Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles were flagged off on the occasion and the keys were handed to different Integrated Village Cooperative Societies from Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
“A number of Agriculture-Farming apps, namely CROPSAP, Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project, a collection of WEB and mobile application for Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project Management System, Horticulture Hub MIS application for managing the daily activities such as sale, farmers’ trainings, generating sales and receipts, reports and managing availability of stocks, MEGAMB, Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board, Meghalaya Farmer App and the MAMETI website were launched during the occasion,” the statement said.
