Ampati, July 23:The Mellim Beekeeper’s Society celebrated a significant milestone with the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Apiculture Multi Facility Centre on Tuesday.The foundation stone was laid by Chief Minister Conrad Sangma at Mellim village, under Rerapara C&RD Block of South West Garo Hills.
The event was organized by the District Commerce and Industries Centre, South West Garo Hills, in collaboration with the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA).
Following an appeal for Multi Facility Centre by the Mellim Beekeeper’s Society to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on July 6, 2024, during his visit to the Mellim village for a meeting, the Chief Minister wasting no time, honored their request and sanctioned an amount for Multi Facility Centre within a month.
The Chief Minister a visited Mellim Village to lay the foundation stone and personally handed over the sanction letter to the society’s executive members. The total estimated budget for the infrastructure is approximately ₹1.34 crores.
This is covering the approach road, multi-facility building, machinery, equipment, power supply, processing unit, etc. An initial installment of 50% of the sanctioned amount has been provided to the society.
It may be noted that District Commerce and Industries Centre of South West Garo Hills have been training and hand holding this particular society since 2015 giving them numerous platforms to market their products and also by providing market linkages.
The Chief Minister emphasized the project’s potential to uplift the socio-economic status of the region’s residents and provide sustainable livelihoods.
He highlighted the importance of community cooperation with the government for successful development projects and encouraged locals to explore mushroom cultivation due to its market demand. Additionally, he mentioned the launch of the floriculture mission and urged interested individuals to apply for participation.
The Chief Minister also stressed the importance of not only honey harvesting but also the utilization of honey by-products such as honey wax and mead. He noted that the success of the infrastructure depends on the community’s diligent efforts to make the facility a thriving center for apiculture.
Deputy Commissioner of South West Garo Hills, Hema Nayak, expressed hopes that this project would serve as a model for future initiatives in the district, with the honey processing unit acting as a catalyst for socio-economic development.
The beekeepers of Mellim expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister and his administration for their support in reviving and sustaining apiculture in the region.District Horticulture Officer of South West Garo Hills, L.Q. Diengdoh, was among the event’s speakers, alongside other distinguished guests.
The ceremony was attended by Education Minister of Meghalaya Rakkam Sangma, MLA of Mahendraganj Sanjay Sangma, Chief Minister’s wife Mehtab Chandee Sangma, Superintendent of Police of South West Garo Hills Vikash Kumar, and officials from various departments.
