12 hours ago
Meghalaya prod groups to get 19 crore under FOCUS scheme
Shillong: Looking to empower grassroots communities and strengthen rural livelihoods, Meghalaya has initiated disbursement of nearly Rs 19 crore to Producer Groups (PGs) under its flagship FOCUS (Farmers' Collectivization for Up-scaling Production and Marketing Systems) programme.
Approximately Rs 8 crore has already been disbursed to over 4,600 PGs in the Garo Hills region. This marks a milestone in the state's mission to foster more self-reliant rural economies. The announcement and disbursal ceremony were led by CM Conrad K Sangma during the foundation stone laying event for the additional secretariat complex in Tura, a release said.
The official statement elaborated on FOCUS's initiative impact, noting its transformation into a vital platform that has touched the lives of over 2.1 lakh rural households across Meghalaya. The scheme has channelled close to Rs 120 crore in direct benefit transfers to date. FOCUS promotes the collectivisation of farmers into producer groups and provides strategic financial support of Rs 5,000 per member for productivity-linked initiatives, particularly in sectors such as piggery, poultry and horticulture.
