SHILLONG, May 16: Clearing the misconception of farmers in some parts of Rongjeng, East Garo Hills, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said funds that are released under the state government’s flagship programme FOCUS (Farmers Collectivization For Upscaling Production and Marketing System) to producer groups are not loans.
Speaking to a gathering during an interaction with farmers in Rongjeng on Monday, the chief minister said, “The funds released under FOCUS are not any loan but assistance from the government. Farmers should not get confused and avail the assistance that is being extended by the government”.
He also took the opportunity to inform the gathering that more than Rs 1,000 crore is being implemented in the state through various farmers’ welfare initiatives such as milk mission, piggery mission, poultry mission, ginger mission, goatery etc.
Stating that the under the FOCUS programme, the government has earmarked Rs 220 crore, which will benefit 4.5 lakh farmers, the CM said that FOCUS was conceptualised to ensure that the farmers affected during COVID-19 pandemic could avail the financial assistance to restart their farming activities.
Under the programme, the farmers are mandated to form producer groups with 10-20 members in every one of them. The producer groups are given financial assistance based on the strength of the group at the rate of Rs 5,000 per member.
The chief minister is on a mission to popularise farmers collectivisation programme and has been touring different parts of the state to interact with farmers at the grassroots to create awareness on the programme, which has been dubbed as one of the biggest farmers’ welfare programmes in the entire Northeast.
