Shillong, November 5, 2021: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday said that the State Government has disbursed an amount of Rs. 124 cr in the last 3.5 years to Self Help Groups (SHGs) to enhance livelihood and ensure financial stability
“In the last three and a half years, the MDA government has distributed 124 Cr to SHGs through National Rural Livelihood Mission… from 35 Cr in last 10 years (prior to 2018) to Rs. 124 Cr in 3.5 years… in 10 years, loans amounting to 12 Cr were distributed, while in the last 3.5 years, loans amounting to 66 Cr were distributed in the State,” the Chief Minister said at the grand SHG Mela held at Thadlaskein in West Jaintia Hills, while stating that MDA government is doing things differently to ensure growth and development in the State.
He informed that the MDA government has been implementing the schemes of the past with renewed commitment to ensure that its benefits reach the people.
“When we say, we will do things differently, we mean that we will improve the efficiency and delivery mechanism of governance… and this is what the MDA government has achieved by ensuring that the same schemes reach more people through efficient delivery. We have ensured that the efficiency level has gone up, which has enabled us to help lakhs of people,” he added.
He said that the government has institutionalised the SHG movement in the State, with the objective to make the SHGs the ‘front-end’ of the government.
“It is a network (referred to SHGs) that can create miracles in the State. It is a network that can change, the dynamics of our livelihood, our health, our education and our children’s future. Everything can happen through this very strong and magical network of women groups,” he asserted.
During the SHG mega mela, the Chief Minister along with MLA of Jowai Wailadmiki Shylla distributed loans worth ₹82 Lakhs to 82 SHGs, which were sanctioned by the Meghalaya Rural Bank (MRB), the nodal bank which has affiliation with the government for implementation of the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM).
Also, the Community Investment Fund to 11 Village Organisations (Vos) for 113 SHGs amounting to ₹56.5 Lakhs and the Vulnerability Reduction Fund amounting to ₹15 Lakhs to 15 VOs were distributed during the programme.
Further, under Meghalaya’s biggest farmers’ welfare program ‘FOCUS’ (Farmers Collectivisation for Upscaling Marketing Systems, the Chief Minister distributed cheques amounting to ₹29.90 Lakhs to 46 Producer Groups impacting over 500 farmers in West Jaintia Hills District.
He also visited the stalls which were put up by the SHGs displaying different products.