Meghalaya Government has taken the lead in launching India’s largest project in piggery with assistance from NCDC, which is sure to boost the state economy by enabling it to export hygienic pork products.
The Co-op lender NCDC organized an event on the occasion of the hand-over of the first tranche of financial assistance amounting to Rs 53 crores at its headquarters in Delhi in which Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya and Prestone Tynsong, Deputy Chief Minister deputy were present.
Speaking on the occasion, Sangma said the project would be rolled out in the ground immediately as it directly impacts the economic well-being of farmers in villages. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving the call for doubling the farmers income towards which the project is directed. The project involves Atmanirbhar Bharat as it would not only substitute pork imports into Meghalaya but also export hygienic pork products, CM underlined.
Besides, the CM announced to engage cooperatives in this task. Already, 208 Cooperative Societies have been identified for implementation of the Piggery Mission.
In his welcome address, NCDC MD and one of the architects of India’s largest Piggery Mission Sundeep Kumar Nayak informed about the mission and said, “It will not only strengthen the farmers of the state but also rejuvenate the cooperative movement of the state as well as north east. It will also help in employment opportunities”, he added. It bears recall that the NCDC has sanctioned a project of Rs. 220.50 crore to the Government of Meghalaya for development of the Piggery sector through cooperatives under the Meghalaya Piggery Mission.
On the occasion, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary and other eminent dignitaries were also present. Scores of participants were connected through Zoom and several watched the event live on YouTube including foreign representatives. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal were also expected to participate in the event but due to the last-minute engagements they could not attend it.
The project envisages setting up of 300 satellite pig breeding farms, small slaughterhouses, product transport small vehicles and pork vending kiosks. It also includes a pig feed storage unit, quality certification facility and pilot facility for processed products, brand promotion and market support for exports.
The State govt has set up Meghalaya Livestock Enterprises Advancement Society (M-LEADS) consisting of Principal Secretary, Animal Husbandry & Veterinary as Chairman and Commissioner & Secretary, Finance & Cooperation Departments as Chief Executive Officer.
The Governing Body of M-LEADS has representation from other important stakeholders such as Community & Rural Development Department, Meghalaya Basin Development Authority, Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society and the Meghalaya State Cooperative Apex Bank.
The Mission (MPM) aims at a quantum jump in pork production so as to cater to the demand of not only the NE Region but also exports to South East Asia in line with ACT EAST policy. The Mission would provide a regular source of income to 35000 pig farmers and regular source of livelihood to 5000 unemployed youth of the State all of whom belong to tribal communities.
The project is proposed to fulfil objectives like sustainable livelihood development through formation of multipurpose cooperatives structure, well channelized backward and forward linkages, production and marketing of clean hygienic pork/pork products and socio-economic upliftment of the weaker sections of society in Meghalaya.
