Meghalaya CM flags off Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, on Thursday flagged off the Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles at MAMETI, Upper Shillong, in the presence of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh, Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Isawanda Laloo, and officials from the Agriculture Department. Speaking during the launch, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma commended the Agriculture Department for having, in the last few years, with better technology and improved infrastructure, given a growth structure and support system to farmers, thereby increasing their income.

Highlighting the employability aspect of the agriculture and food sectors, the Chief Minister said that around 50000 youth enter the workforce every year in the state, and the government and private sectors are the two areas where they can be employed, while roughly 3000 are absorbed in the government sector and the rest have to seek employment in the private sector.

The Chief Minister also informed that an additional fleet of 200 Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles will be distributed in the next phase. Under Prime Agri Response Vehicles, 200 vehicles will be distributed to cooperative societies, self-help groups, farmers’ producer organisations, and individuals on a 50 percent subsidy on the on-road cost of the vehicle. The scheme is intended for rural populations that are remotely connected, bridging transportation gaps while providing livelihood opportunities to the rural population. 20 Prime ARVs were flagged off during the occasion, and the keys were handed to different Integrated Village Cooperative Societies from Khasi and Jaintia Hills.

A number of agriculture-farming apps, namely, CROPSAP, Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project, a collection of WEB and mobile applications for Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project Management System, Horticulture Hub MIS application for managing the daily activities such as sales, farmers’ trainings, generating sales and receipts, reports, and managing the availability of stocks, MEGAMB, Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board, Meghalaya Farmer App, and the MAMETI website, were launched during the occasion, stated a press release.

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