Shillong, Dec 20: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday rolled out the piggery and milk Mission in Garo Hills in presence of Principal Secretary Animal Husbandry and Cooperative Department GHP Raju and Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills Ram Singh.
Speaking at the roll out programme, the Chief Minister said that through the Piggery and Milk Missions the Govt aims to tap the huge opportunity that will provide gainful income generation to the youth of the State.
He said that the State consumes about 18000 MT pork annually, however the production is just about 8000 MT. “Our youth and farming community can take advantage of the flagship programme of the Govt and reap the benefits by forming cooperative societies to venture into piggery and dairy production,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that about ₹600 cr is being invested in livestock related activities by the Govt to promote piggery, dairy, poultry and goatry in the State. He said that there is saturation in Govt jobs and Govt has envisioned livestock promotion activities to provide opportunities for the youth of the State to take advantage of the programme.
He informed that piggery and milk Mission is one of the biggest programme that the State has ever conceptualised. Piggery project amounting to ₹209 Cr is India’s largest piggery programme that will enable the farming community to take up piggery farming.
He also took the opportunity to enlighten the gathering about FOCUS programme that will promote farmers collectives with financial support to upscale their farming activities.
During the programme, he handed over cheques which are zero interest loans to beneficiaries – 26 piggery cooperative societies and 13 dairy cooperative societies. For Piggery Mission to the tune of ₹ 6.24 cr were allotted and for Milk Mission ₹ 2.17 cr.
