Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 69/10

AWARENESS PROGRAMME ON OPPORTUNITIES ON PLASTIC INDUSTRIES TO BE HELD IN SHILLONG AND TURA

Shillong, March 8, 2010: The Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET), Guwahati, a certified national institution under the aegis of the Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers Government of India, which is fully devoted to manpower training for Plastic Industries located in the North Eastern Region is organizing two Awareness Programmes on “Opportunities in Plastics Industries for unemployed youth on the North Eastern Region” at Shillong and Tura. The programme will be conducted in association with the Directorate of Commerce & Industries, Government of Meghalaya.

The First programme will be organized at the Don Bosco Technical Institute, Shillong on the 16th of March, 2010 and the second will be organized at the Conference Hall, District Commerce and Industries Office, Tura on the 18th March, 2010. Interested Entrepreneurs and unemployed youth are welcome to attend the programme.

Press Release No. 71/10

DISTRICT LEVEL TRAINING PROGRAMME ON CENSUS 2011 HELD IN TURA

Shillong, March 8, 2010: A four day programme on District Level Training for special charge officers, charge officers, assistant officers and master trainers on census 2011 started today the 8th March 8, 2010 at Tura Circuit House (New Block Conference Hall). The programme is divided into four parts starting from 8th March it will again continue from the 15th to 17th March at the same venue. The training of Masters Trainers will be held on those following days.

Shri. B. Das Gupta, Assistant Director of Census Operation, Meghalaya set off the training by welcoming the officers present in the occasion and gave an outline about the topics to be dealt with.

Other activities include Power Point presentations on topics like houselisting and Housing Census, National Population Register (NPR) and Charge Register Preparation.

Deputy Commissioner, West Garo Hills, Shri. Sanjay Goyal, who is also the Principal Census Officer, attended the event. In his speech he emphasized the need to maintain a regular survey during Houselisting and Housing Census 2011, which would commence on 1st April to 5th May 2011. The day lapse during the survey could result in a false and incomplete data.

Press Release No. 74/10

AGRICULTURE MINISTRY FELICITATES MEGHALAYA WOMEN FARMERS

Shillong, March 9, 2010: Two farmers from Meghalaya, Smt. Bernadette Khongsngi, from Umran village, Ri Bhoi District and Smt. Merry Corelia A. Sangma from West Garo Hills were felicitated by the Union Ministry of Agriculture at a function held in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 26th February 2010. Both the farmers have been selected for their innovative skills and entrepreneurial success in their respective horticulture enterprises. Smt. Bernadette Khongsngi, a homemaker and mother of seven children through sheer hard work has turned her hobby into a money making enterprise with assistance from the office of the District Horticulture Office, Ri- Bhoi district. She has also inspired many other farmers from her village to take up floriculture as a self employment venture.

Likewise, Smt. Merry Corelia A.Sangma had made cultivation of Anthurium a successful venture and also motivated others to take to growing flowers as a profit making enterprise.

The success stories of these two women farmers are published in the ministry’s coffee table book “Harvest of Hope” on 101 success stories of farmers from across the country which was released by the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Sharad Pawar. Speaking during the function, the minister congratulated the farmers and said that these farmers have not only helped their families by increasing their incomes but also have been more than inspirational for others by sheer dint of innovation and hard work. Commending the farmers present on the occasion, Mr. Pawar said that many of them have not kept their new found knowledge to themselves but felt it necessary and worthwhile to share with fellow farmers.