Tura, Sept 22: Decades after Meghalaya enacted the state’s catchment area protection law, it is finally being implemented. Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today announced that the state’s catchment area protection law — enacted more than 35 years ago — has for the first time been enforced in both letter and spirit, following the signing of an MoU with local communities for the protection of the Ganol and Umiew catchment areas.
Addressing a gathering at the Integrated Partners’ Support and Engagement Programme in Tura, the Chief Minister explained that while the catchment protection legislation has existed since 1990, it required the understanding and consent of local communities to come into effect — a threshold that had never been met until now.
“Today’s MoU signing marks a historic breakthrough, with communities formally coming forward to partner with the Government in protecting vital catchment areas,” he said. He described the agreement as critical to Meghalaya’s fight against climate change, noting that the state records nearly 50 percent of the country’s highest rainfall and is already experiencing visible climate impacts.
The MoU is anchored in the MegARISE programme, which places conservation responsibility directly with local communities. The externally aided project is funded by Germany’s KfW Development Bank at a total cost of Rs 344.4 crore, comprising Rs 277.2 crore in external assistance and a Rs 67.2 crore state share. It runs from November 2022 to November 2029.
The project covers two catchments of strategic importance — the Umiew catchment, which is the principal source of Shillong’s water supply, and the Ganol catchment, which underpins water security for Tura. Together, the total project area spans 52,198 hectares across 77 micro-watersheds and 226 villages. The Ganol catchment alone accounts for 39,714 hectares across 64 micro-watersheds and 132 villages — 76 percent of the total project area — spread over four blocks: Rongram and Selsella in West Garo Hills, Rerapara in South West Garo Hills, and Samanda in East Garo Hills.
The Chief Minister linked the intervention directly to Tura’s water future, noting that protection of the Ganol catchment underwrites the Rs 398 crore Greater Tura Water Supply Scheme.
Drawing a connection between conservation and livelihood, the Chief Minister described MegARISE and FOCUS Plus as addressing the same farming family from two directions — FOCUS Plus raises seasonal income, while MegARISE protects the water, soil and forest cover that income ultimately depends on.
During the programme, the Chief Minister also released the first installment of the 2026 FOCUS Plus scheme, transferring Rs 2,500 each to beneficiaries across the state — a total disbursement of Rs 28 crore reaching 1,14,400 families.
Of these, 93,285 are existing beneficiaries, 12,045 had their applications processed and disbursed in March 2026, and 9,070 are new beneficiaries added this year. Registration remains open on a continuous basis, with the Government’s stated goal of ensuring one member from every eligible family receives FOCUS Plus benefits.
Under the scheme, an annual untied grant of Rs 5,000 per farming household is credited directly to the beneficiary’s bank account in two tranches of Rs 2,500 each. The funds can be used flexibly for any farming or production-related need — seed, feed, planting material or equipment — at the point in the season when it matters most.
The Chief Minister also handed over MegARISE Community Awards recognising local conservation efforts, and flagged off AGEY vehicles for Self Help Groups under the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS).
