Meghalaya CM Launches Integrated Schemes
Meghalaya Govt gives a grant of Rs 15,000 per hectare for protecting forest cover
SHILLONG, Oct 17 (The CONNECT) – The Megalaya Government of Meghalaya today embarked on a transformative journey towards socio-economic progress and environmental stewardship through its integrated programme.
The initiative encompassed the distribution of CM Elevate Cheques,
Chief Minister of Meghalaya Conrad K. Sangma said development is incomplete if every citizen and every community in society and part of our state does not move forward with the government.
The CM-Elevate is a program for entrepreneurship. In the last five years, the State has supported 3000 entrepreneurs in different ways. The government hAS for communities, for self-help groups, for sports groups and for anybody who wishes to be an entrepreneur.
The Cinema Hall scheme, for instance, is meant to ensure that every district should have one cinema hall. But the government should not run cinema halls, government must run government not cinema halls. private sector will run cinema halls and government will support, Sangma said and called for a state-of-the-art convention centre in every district headquarter.”
Economic empowerment of women is important, the self-help group movement is one of the most powerful ways to economically empower our women, he said.
On the Yess Meghalaya program, he said, the government gives support up to Rs 1 lakh to the youth. Out of the 1155 youths we supported in the first tranche and the first group in the state, Jaintia hills alone has 389 groups got the benefit.
Turning to Green Meghalaya programme, the Chief Minister said, “Any community, any group, any individual who wishes to protect his or her or their forest cover, Meghalaya government will pay you Rs 15, 000 per hectare not to disturb the forests. We have 40,000 hectares under Protected Areas under the PES programme and government has given up to Rs 40 crores to communities to protect this every year.”
A total of Total 37 cheques were distributed, Yess- 17, Self-Help Groups (SHGs) -10 and Green Meghalaya-10 while the amount disbursed is Rs 4,90,000 for YESS program, Rs 66,00,000- SHGs, 54,09,058- PES.
