By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 5: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday replied to a various issues raised by the Opposition members in the Assembly during the debate on the Governor’s address.
Price fluctuations
Justifying the government’s interventions over the price fluctuations of areca nut and broomsticks, the chief minister pointed out the government’s market intervention scheme for non-perishable agricultural products. “This is not exactly a minimum support price but a specific market intervention scheme. The government steps in to purchase products at a higher price when market rates drop, thereby pushing demand and stabilising prices,” Sangma said. He highlighted that Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for this initiative, ensuring a rotational fund to assist farmers.
Food processing
He also mentioned the progress made in food processing over the past seven years, particularly in value addition to agricultural products.
“We have successfully established processing facilities where Meghalaya’s pineapples are frozen and sent to Bangalore for further processing into baby food powder, which is then exported to Switzerland,” he stated.
Various mission-mode programmes, including CM Assure, CM Farm Plus, and Focus, are facilitating interventions in food processing through Prime Hubs. Additionally, the Lakadong Turmeric Mission aims to boost turmeric production, targeting 20,000 metric tonne in Lakadong.
Employment
With employment as a key agenda, Sangma pointed out that approximately 70,000 youths enter the workforce annually, with nearly 50% of them below 21 years of age.
“The number of job seekers will continue to rise, and while government vacancies stand at 1,200–1,500, adding casual jobs brings it to 2,000. The real challenge lies in addressing the employment needs of the remaining 68,000 youths,” he noted.
To tackle this, the Chief Minister talked about the need to boost entrepreneurship and expand industries beyond government jobs. “Our focus is on pushing different sectors such as IT, tourism, and food processing to drive job creation,” he said.
