Shillong, July 24: The state government has planned to provide financial assistance to over 2 lakh farmers across Meghalaya during the MDA government’s current tenure, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said announced Friday.
He was addressing an election campaign meeting to garner support for NPP Shillong Lok Sabha bye-election candidate, Dr DRL Nonglait, at Patharkhmah in Ri-Bhoi district.
Dhar said the initiative was discussed with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and would be implemented through party workers and farmers’ associations.
“I was in a meeting with the CM yesterday. He told me to inform party workers and farmers’ associations that we will try to prepare financial assistance for up to 2 lakh farmers within this term,” Dhar said.
According to him, the assistance would range between Rs 5,000 and Rs 7,000 per farmer.
“Some will get Rs 5,000, some Rs 6,000 and Rs 7,000. This financial assistance is meant to give them the strength to expand their agriculture and allied activities,” he added.
Highlighting the government’s focus on the agriculture sector, Dhar noted that there are a large number of farmers in the region and that support from the MDA government led by the NPP has been “tremendous.”
Claiming government’s success in development work in border areas, he said, “No previous government had the courage to take decisions for the peace and welfare of our people.”
He further clarified reports about alleged land loss, saying the government had visited all border areas to ensure residents could live in peace and security.
“As a government, we have gone to visit all the border areas to make sure that our people can live in peace and security and earn a livelihood so that their income can increase,” Dhar said.
