In the presence of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Dr. M. Ampareen Lyngdoh, Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department Isawanda Laloo, and other officials from the Agriculture Department, Conrad K Sangma, the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, inaugurated the Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles at MAMETI in Upper Shillong.
Emphasizing the employment potential in the Agriculture and Food Sector, the Chief Minister highlighted that approximately 50,000 young individuals enter the workforce in Meghalaya each year.
He stated that the government and private sectors are the primary areas where these youths can find employment, with roughly 3,000 individuals being absorbed into the government sector while the rest need to seek opportunities in the private sector.
The Chief Minister emphasized that key sectors for employment in the private sector include Agriculture, Food Processing, Tourism, and the Service Sector. He further stated that the state needs to create a conducive environment for the growth of the private sector.
Recognizing the crucial role of Agriculture and Food Processing in providing economic benefits and generating employment opportunities, the Chief Minister expressed the importance of focusing on these sectors to meet the employment demands of the youth and stimulate overall economic growth in the state.
In addition, the Chief Minister announced that an upcoming phase will involve the distribution of an additional fleet of 200 Prime Agriculture Response Vehicles. These vehicles will be provided to cooperative societies, Self Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organizations, and individuals at a 50 percent subsidy on the on-road cost.
The scheme aims to address transportation gaps and provide livelihood opportunities to rural populations, especially those who are remotely connected. As part of the event, 20 Prime ARVs were flagged off, and the keys were handed over to various Integrated Village Cooperative Societies from the Khasi and Jaintia Hills regions.
During the event, several Agriculture-Farming apps were launched, including CROPSAP, a Crop Pest Surveillance and Advisory Project that consists of web and mobile applications for managing crop pest surveillance and advisory projects.
Additionally, the Horticulture Hub MIS application, designed to handle daily activities such as sales, farmers' trainings, generating reports and receipts, and managing stock availability, was introduced.
Other apps launched include MEGAMB (Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board), the Meghalaya Farmer App, and the MAMETI website.
