Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 446/22

CM DISTRIBUTES CHEQUES FOR PAYMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AT TURA

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma distributed cheques for Payment of Ecosystem Services to the selected individuals and community under Garo Hills Region at District Auditorium, West Garo Hills, Tura today morning.

It may be mentioned that Green Meghalaya, Grassroot level Response towards Ecosystem Enhancement and Nurturing aims to build the capacities of communities to manage natural resources productively and effectively through training, exposure, learning from best practices, innovations and traditional knowledge.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that the rural community has been the custodians of natural resources for generations and informed that the Green Meghalaya scheme has earmarked Rs. 50 Crores for this financial year offering financial incentives for conservation of forests and its natural resources.

Stating that the effects and consequences of climate change and global warming can be seen everywhere and that the forest cover in the region is also decreasing rapidly, he said that the government is trying to restore the green cover by launching several programmes such as afforestation, multi-purpose reservoir, springshed rejuvenation, cleaning drives, etc to restore and rehabilitate the lost biodiversity and ecosystem and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation, he said.

Mentioning that people mainly depend on forest products, the Chief Minister said that Meghalaya comprises of 76 percent forest cover out of which 94 percent is owned by communities and individuals and only 6 percent reserved and protected forest are under the direct control of the State Forest Department, adding that community participation is necessary for the success of the program. Therefore, in order to provide financial assistance and livelihood opportunities to these people for protecting and maintaining the forest, the Government has initiated a special scheme Green Meghalaya which is a payment towards the communities for conserving their forest resources and expressed hope that it would also create awareness and motivate others to value natural resources with sustainable management practices to be passed on to next generation, the Chief Minister said.

Informing that the scheme is being co-funded by the World Bank through Community Led Landscape Management Program, he said that the forest owners with a minimum of 5 hectares of natural forest will be given financial support for a period of 5 years based on the size of their forest landholding and about 298 villages from across Garo Hills region had received funds totalling about Rs. 6 crores from the Green Meghalaya Scheme today.

Meanwhile, the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Swapnil Tembe stated that this is a good scheme and he urged everyone present to use the money judiciously and for the right purpose for which it was given such as planting of trees and maintenance of their respective reserved forest in the area. The Chief Minister then distributed the cheques to the beneficiaries during the function.

Press Release No. 447/22

C AND RD MINISTER LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE FOR NEW MAWKYNREW C AND RD BLOCK OFFICE BUILDING

C and RD Minister, Shri Hamletson Dohling today in the presence of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Banteidor Lyngdoh laid the foundation stone for the construction of new Mawkynrew C and RD Block Office building at Block Headquarter, Mawkynrew C and RD Block.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Dohling stated that the block offices act as bridges between the government and the public, hence there is a need to improve the infrastructure and facilities for better service delivery. He also informed that the government had sanctioned Rs 120 crores for the up gradation of 40 block offices in the state, with an amount of Rs 2.77 crores being sanctioned for this particular block and the work will commence shortly.

The minister also praised the functioning of the Mawkynrew Block Office for their hard work in implementing the various state and central schemes. Shri Dohling also dwelt at length on the achievements of the Community and Rural Development particularly in regards to the implementation of the MGNREGS and the upsurge of the SHG movement in the state in the last few years.

Others who spoke included Shri Banteidor Lyngdoh, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister and Shri S C Sadhu, Director, C and RD Department among others.