Meghalaya CM inaugurates Pig Breeding Farm at Samanda

Chief Minister Sangma said that through the different Mission Mode programmes, the Government has reached out to the rural farming communities.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday inaugurated a newly constructed Pig Breeding farm at Rikwareng, Samanda in East Garo Hills and rolled out the Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme on the occasion.

Addressing the gathering at the launch programme, Chief Minister Sangma said that through the different Mission Mode programmes, the Government has reached out to the rural farming communities.

He said that the Government in the last four years has made interventions to ensure rural livelihood and upscaling income generation activities.

Sangma stated that a total of 4.5 lakh farming communities in the hill state were in dire need of a systematic programme for upscaling their livelihood while informing that through the Rural Backyard Piggery Scheme, about 6000 beneficiaries will be given piglets for rearing.

The CM also said depending on the feedback and response to the programme the Government will extend the programme to cover additional 15,000 beneficiaries.

The first phase of the project is earmarked at a cost of Rs 16.92 crore for 6000 beneficiaries wherein 4,000 piglets will be distributed across the State.

Sangma further informed that the Government is contemplating accord additional Rs 25 crore for the Rural Backyard Piggery scheme, a programme that is jointly funded by the State and National Livestock Mission, Government of India.

And apart from the Rural Backyard Piggery Mission, the Government is currently implementing the largest piggery scheme of Rs 109 crore in the State, Sangma added.

Through the piggery scheme, the Government envisages solving the shortage of pork supply in the State, Conrad Sangma said, adding that the Government imports pigs amounting to Rs 600 crore annually for consumption in the State.

The CM further expressed confidence that through this intervention the shortage of pork supply can be addressed and pig farmers will reap the benefits.

During the programme, the Chief Minister along with MLA Williamnagar, Marcuise Marak, MLA Rongjeng, Jim Sangma and other dignitaries distributed piglets and cheques to the producers group under the FOCUS programme.

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