“Our government has initiated various programmes to promote farmers welfare. The cooperative movement is amongst one such initiative that aims to leverage income generation amongst the  society,” he said after laying the foundation stone for the prestigious project of All Garo Hills Multipurpose Cooperative Society at Babadam in West Garo Hills district.

The project will include the construction of a multipurpose building that will cater to training and livelihood programmes, including a processing and packaging unit.

The project is estimated to cost Rs 4.44 cr, of which State Govt has accorded sanction of Rs 3.30 cr to the All Garo Hills Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. The remaining fund amount to Rs 1.14 cr will be mobilised from the SFURTI cluster.

All Garo Hills Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd is an apex level cooperative that aims to mobilise all primary cooperative societies in Garo Hills to work towards a systematized, sustainable future for the farmers of Garo Hills.

The Chief Minister said that the multipurpose cooperative society will promote livelihood promotion and will ensure training, handholding and marketing linkage.

The multipurpose cooperative society will facilitate the processing of various Agri-Horti products and will support farmers to initiate better packaging and access to market,” Sangma added.

The Chief Minister also told the gathering that a premier paramedical institute amounting to Rs 280 cr for Northeast will be set up at Babadam which is at the final stage of consideration by the Central government.