Department of Information and Public Relations

Press Release No. 646/15

CM LAUNCHES AGAR AND BAMBOO PLANTATION ON HIS FIRST OFFICIAL VISIT TO RANIKOR

Shillong, September 10, 2015: Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma on Thursday launched the programme for Bamboo and Agar Plantation at Nolikata under Ranikor C&RD Block as is being done across the State in the past few weeks as part of the Government’s initiative for sustainable livelihood through sustainable ecology.

Former Assembly Speaker and local MLA, Martin M Danggo, South West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ripnar Lyngdoh, local MDC, M. Nongrem, officials of the Horticulture and Agriculture departments and the district officials were among many others present on the occasion.

Expressing his happiness to have his first official programme in the area as the Chief Minister, Dr Sangma said that with 80 percent of the State’s population being in the rural areas it was the Government’s agenda to provide them sustainable livelihood through various missions under IBDLP, including Mission Green under which agro-forestry programmes are being taken up to ensure sustainable livelihood to the people as well as to address the concerns of climate change – Agar and Bamboo plantation being one of them. Highlighting on the importance and value of Agar, the Chief Minister recalled the time when the people of South Garo Hills used to flourish in Agar business during the British period as it is indigenous to the region. However, since Agar has been listed as one of the endangered species of plants, it cannot be sold in open market and therefore the Government has come up with a policy to promote plantation of Agar in private farms, he added.

“This is also to ensure that our towns and cities are not congested”, he said because Agar is considered to be worth more than ruby. “Once people know that they have a diamond mine in their own backyard, they will not leave their places of origin to migrate to urban areas in search of opportunities” he reasoned.

The Government will also come up with a policy to process the Agarwood harvested in Meghalaya in the State itself, Dr. Sangma said, adding “the target is that Meghalaya should have a share of 10 percent in the world’s billion dollar agar business”. As agar plants have to be infected through scientific inoculation for its value addition, a lot of ancillary entrepreneurship activities will come out from agar plantation, he added. Regarding bamboo plantation, the Chief Minister informed that skill training on scientific harvesting of bamboo would be conducted for the farmers through the departments concerned.

Referring to the poor condition of road leading to Ranikor, the Chief Minister informed the gathering about the number of road projects that have been sanctioned for the area and reiterated that Government was considering action against defaulting contractors. He also indicated that places like Mawsynram and Ranikor were being considered for specific destination promotion for their natural beauty.

Earlier, local MLA, M.M Danggo in his brief address as guest of honour, expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister for his initiative and also apprised the felt needs of the people of the area, the foremost among them being upgradation of Ranikor to a civil sub-division, establishment of MeECL sub-division and making Khonjoy PHC functional at the earliest.