From Our Correspondent
AMPATI, March 7: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Saturday distributed cheques to beneficiaries of the FOCUS+ and Green Meghalaya+ schemes during a programme organised by the South West Garo Hills district administration at Student’s Field, Ampati.
Addressing the gathering, the chief minister stated that the FOCUS+ programme, launched in 2022, provides Rs 5,000 annual financial support to producer households to strengthen rural livelihoods. He noted that the government has adopted a “one beneficiary per household” rule to ensure fairness.
Following a verification process through the Meghalaya One Portal, the total number of households supported under FOCUS+ has reached 1,04,418. For the 2024–25 period, the government is releasing the first tranche of Rs 2,500. In the Garo Hills region, this tranche benefits 81,046 households with a total release of Rs 20.26 crore. Specifically, in South West Garo Hills, 14,017 beneficiaries will receive a total of Rs 3.50 crore. To date, Rs 148.08 crore has been disbursed under the scheme across the state.
Regarding the Green Meghalaya+ initiative, the Chief Minister explained that the programme incentivises forest conservation through the Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) model, offering Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per hectare. With 17,000 sq km of forest cover in the state, the government aims to bring one lakh hectares under conservation.
So far, over 2,800 beneficiaries have conserved nearly 40,000 hectares statewide. A total of Rs 77.21 crore has been disbursed under the initiative, including Rs 34.73 crore in Garo Hills. In South West Garo Hills, incentives amounting to Rs 48.23 lakh are being distributed to beneficiaries across Rerapara, Zikzak, and Betasing blocks for conserving over 551 hectares.
Rangsakona MLA Subir M Marak and Deputy Commissioner Anendya Raajsshre also spoke at the event, which was attended by Salmanpara MLA Ian Botham K Sangma, Mahendraganj MLA Sanjay A Sangma, and several district officials and community leaders.
