Tura, Aug 23: In a big boost for farmers of the state, the Meghalaya government has envisaged providing interest free loans to them and at the same time earmarked Rs 200 Crores for producers groups across the state, announced Chief Minister Conrad k Sangma at Gokul, near Mendal in North Garo Hills on Monday during an interaction with ‘Producers Group’, an initiative of Farmers Collectivization for Upscaling Production and Marketing Systems (Focus).

Through FOCUS, ₹200 Cr has been earmarked for producer groups to help farmers and entrepreneurs of the State. Under Phase I, ₹40 Cr is being released for different groups.

Over 30,000 farmers will avail the benefit of the scheme in the next few months.@AgriGoI pic.twitter.com/JXlyuwtIHE

— Conrad Sangma (@SangmaConrad) August 23, 2021

Addressing the gathering of farmers and entrepreneurs, Conrad Sangma said, “Our government has earmarked ₹200 cr for producers group by way of which government will be able to help farmers and entrepreneurs of the State. In the first phase, an initial amount of Rs 40 Crores is being released for different groups and this will be rolled out soon.”

Encouraging farmers to work together as farmers collective or producers group and avail the benefits of the scheme, the Chief Minister reiterated that his government has already mooted the idea of giving farmers loans that are free of interest and this would go a long way in boosting farming and its returns for the farmers.

With the chief minister’s late father and statesman of Garo Hills, Late P A Sangma’s birth anniversary to commemorate on September 1st, Sangma told the gathering that a FOCUS programme will be held in different parts of the State, wherein financial support under the FOCUS programme will be released to producers group to mark that memorial event.

The chief minister announced that as many as 30,000 farmers will be able to avail the benefits of this scheme in the coming months.

Also read:

M’laya a·doko ‘producers group’-na gong kror 200-ko sorkari chama