Meghalaya Cabinet approves Rs 100 crore ‘CM Assure’ scheme to Support Farmers

Correspondent

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Friday approved the “CM Assure” scheme, a market intervention initiative to assist farmers during price declines for non-perishable crops.

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated, “This scheme will aid farmers in distress by procuring non-perishable commodities like broomsticks and areca nuts at fixed prices, ensuring they don’t suffer from distress sales. A revolving corpus fund of Rs 100 crore has been allocated for this purpose.”

The scheme is designed to provide farmers with fixed procurement prices for their non-perishable agricultural produce, ensuring relief during market downturns. Targeting crops with longer shelf lives, such as ginger, turmeric, and areca nut, the initiative seeks to stabilize incomes and prevent distress sales. A state-level committee will monitor market prices to determine when the scheme should be activated, while the Meghalaya State Agriculture Marketing Board will oversee implementation. Payments to farmers will be made directly through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to ensure timely support.

Last year, key crops such as broom grass and arecanut experienced significant price declines, prompting the government to prioritize these crops under the scheme’s initial implementation. Expected to benefit over 20,000 farmers, the initiative reflects a strategic effort to enhance the resilience of Meghalaya’s agricultural sector. The Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare will later announce details on procurement prices and other modalities.

This initiative marks a strategic response by the Government of Meghalaya to create a more resilient agricultural sector capable of withstanding market fluctuations. By focusing on non-perishable commodities, CM-ASSURE aims to enhance the financial security of small and marginal farmers across the state.

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