Shillong (Meghalaya) [India], July 28 : Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday inaugurated the Centrifuged Latex Manufacturing Unit at Koksi Nengsat under Songsak C&RD block in East Garo Hills district, a press release from the Meghalaya CMO stated.
This project marks a significant milestone in the state's efforts to support farmers and promote entrepreneurship.
This is the first centrifuged latex manufacturing unit in Meghalaya and the second in the Northeast.
Managed and implemented by Sr Rose, founder of Mendipathar Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MMCS) and is funded by the State Government through Meghalaya Basin Management Agency with an amount of Rs 18.8 crore.
The project will benefit approximately 3,000 farmers involved in rubber plantations across the Garo Hills.
"This unit is a boon for Garo hills and the state as a whole, as it will benefit a large number of farmers involved in rubber plantation. Since our government took office in 2018, our priority has been to understand the concerns of our farmers and come up with interventions to support them. We have launched several programs and schemes, such as Focus, Focus+, and CM Farm+, to benefit our farmers," the Chief Minister said.
Informing that the Prime Minister has set goal to double the income of farmers, he said, "...in Meghalaya, we need to increase it more than double, given the significant dependence on farming. To achieve our target of a USD 10 billion economy, we need to improve livelihoods and opportunities for our farmers."
"Initiatives like Nokma ice cream, which produces 1 lakh packets daily, Awang chips processing unit, and mushroom farming in Mendipathar have shown us the way. These units have benefited farmers in Rongara, Tikrikilla and Mendipathar," he informed, while adding that government is setting up 40 such manufacturing and processing unit to benefit the farming communities in the state.
"The rubber sheets industry has faced challenges due to middlemen from outside the region. This processing unit will reverse the trend and benefit farmers involved in rubber plantation. We urge all rubber plantation farmers to sell their raw rubber to this unit, which will provide the best competitive price and save them time," he said.
Informing that government jobs are saturated, he spoke on the effort to create an ecosystem that promotes entrepreneurship in the state.
"We need to encourage youth to take up entrepreneurship. Through CM Elevate, we are supporting business ventures and promoting entrepreneurship in the state," he added.
During the event, the Chief Minister also laid the foundation for Meghalaya's first fruit dehydration unit. The project, costing Rs 23 crore, will be completed by November next year and will have a processing capacity of 7,400 MT fruits annually. The project will benefit over 5,000 farmers through assured procurement and improved price realisation, reduce post-harvest losses, and generate employment opportunities.
The event was attended by PHE Minister Marcuise Marak, MLA Marthone Sangma, MLA, and Sister Rose, Secretary, MMCS.