SHILLONG, June 17 - Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today highlighted some of the achievements of the State Government at the 4th meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog in New Delhi.
The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhawan Cultural Centre and was also attended by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, other Union Ministers, Chief Ministers and senior officials from NITI Aayog, officials here said.
Touching on the agriculture sector, Sangma said, several projects have been initiated by the State Government to give impetus to agriculture. He said under this initiative, Lakadong turmeric and Apiculture Mission are some of the areas the Government is focusing on.
The Chief Minister informed that Meghalaya has done well in distribution of soil health cards (2015-17) and 2,13,548 soil health cards were distributed. In the second phase (2017-19) distribution of soil health cards to farmers stand at 24.14 per cent and all efforts are being taken to increase the figures.
�The State Government will make all concerted efforts and we will be able to achieve the target for distribution of soil health cards to all the farmers within the timeline prescribed,� Sangma said.
The CM said that the State Government is trying to improve the market infrastructure like construction of Integrated Farmers� Market, Lay-by markets along National Highways and four Farmers Markets across the State.
�Under Meghalaya Livelihood and Access to Markets Project, the State Government is undertaking construction of 250 km of roads to improve market accessibility in all rural development blocks. This is being done in convergence mode and using plastic cell technology,� he informed.
The Chief Minister informed that under MGNREGA, Village Employment Councils are focusing on water conservation related activities by constructing check dams, wells, ponds and rejuvenation of water sources through plantation.
During 2017-18, he said, an amount of Rs 1,134 crore was spent out of which Rs 540 crore was spent on water related activities. During 2018-19, an amount of Rs 1,200 crore has been earmarked out of which Rs 720 crore will be spent on water conservation related activities.
On health sector, Sangma said, under the Ayushman Bharat programme, the State has approved for strengthening of 32 Health Sub-Centres and Health and Wellness Centres.
Under Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Swasthya Suraksha Mission (PMRSSM), the State has decided to opt for the Insurance Mode instead of the Trust Mode.
�The State Government has signed the MoU with Government of India to converge the Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) with PMRSSM to cover all eligible households and to increase the insurance cover from Rs 2.8 lakh to Rs 5 lakh covering 3,39,779 households identified by the Government of India with the balance number of beneficiaries being covered by the State Government with the same insurance cover�, he said.
