AMPATI: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma laid the foundation stone for the Apiculture Multi-Facility Centre on Tuesday at Mellim village in Meghalaya’s South West Garo Hills district.
The event was organized by the District Commerce and Industries Centre, South West Garo Hills, in collaboration with the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA).
Following an appeal from the Mellim Beekeeper’s Society on July 6, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma swiftly approved funding for a Multi-Facility Centre.
The request was made during the Chief Minister’s visit to Mellim village for a meeting.
Sangma on Tuesday visited Mellim village to lay the foundation stone for the centre and personally handed over the sanction letter to the society’s executive members.
The total estimated budget for the infrastructure is approximately Rs 1.52 crore. This covers the approach road, multi-facility building, machinery, equipment, power supply, processing unit, and other related costs.
The society has received an initial installment of 50 percent of the sanctioned amount.
Notably, the District Commerce and Industries Centre of South West Garo Hills has been providing training to the society since 2015, giving them numerous platforms to market their products by providing market linkages.
The Chief Minister emphasized the project’s potential to uplift the socio-economic status of the residents of the region and provide sustainable livelihoods.
He also encouraged locals to explore mushroom cultivation due to its market demand.
Highlighting the floriculture mission of the state government, he urged interested individuals to apply for participation.
He stressed the significance of both honey production and the effective use of its by-products, including honeywax and mead.
He noted that the success of the infrastructure depends on the community’s diligent efforts to make the facility a thriving centre for apiculture.
Deputy Commissioner of South West Garo Hills, Hema Nayak, said the project would serve as a model for future initiatives in the district, and the honey processing unit would act as a catalyst for the socio-economic development of the region.
The beekeepers of Mellim expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister and his administration for their support in reviving and sustaining apiculture in the region.
The ceremony was attended by Education Minister of Meghalaya Rakkam Sangma, Mahendraganj legislator Sanjay Sangma, Superintendent of Police of South West Garo Hills Vikash Kumar, and officials from various departments.
