Meghalaya disburses Rs 19 crore under FOCUS scheme to boost rural livelihoods

The Meghalaya government has released Rs 19 crore under its flagship FOCUS (Farmers’ Collectivisation for Upscaling Production and Marketing Systems) scheme, aimed at bolstering rural livelihoods across the state. Of this, Rs 8 crore has been disbursed to over 4,600 Producer Groups (PGs) in the Garo Hills, reflecting the administration’s sustained efforts to empower grassroots communities and promote self-reliance in agriculture.

The announcement was made during a public event at Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma Athletic Stadium in Tura, where Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma also laid the foundation stone for the Additional Secretariat Complex. The move is part of the government’s broader push to decentralise governance and increase regional access to administrative services.

FOCUS has emerged as a key intervention in rural Meghalaya, having transferred nearly Rs 120 crore directly to more than 22,500 Producer Groups since its inception. According to official data, the scheme has impacted over 2.1 lakh rural households, supporting farming-related activities such as piggery, poultry, and horticulture.

“These aren’t just grants — they’re investments in the potential of our farmers and the promise of our rural economy,” Chief Minister Sangma said. “FOCUS is not a one-time scheme; it’s a long-term vision to empower communities, especially women, with over 60% of beneficiaries being women farmers.”

In Garo Hills alone, close to 12,000 PGs have received assistance, covering nearly one lakh individuals. Similar outreach has been recorded in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, where over 10,000 PGs and 1.09 lakh beneficiaries have benefited. The funds, disbursed at Rs 5,000 per member, are intended for productivity-linked activities and to encourage cooperative enterprise.

The government also released Rs 10 crore to the Nokrek Midan Cluster Level Federation under the Meghalaya State Rural Livelihoods Society (MSRLS), a step that is expected to benefit 1.9 lakh women and over 19,000 Self-Help Groups in Garo Hills.

Producer Groups in the region are engaged in a variety of agricultural and allied sectors — including piggery, banana and cashew cultivation, mustard farming, and poultry — creating both income and employment at the local level.

Alongside the FOCUS funds, grants under the Climate Adaptive Community-Based Water Harvesting Project, supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), were also distributed, pointing to the state’s integrated approach toward climate resilience and sustainable development.

With fresh disbursals planned for the 2025–26 financial year, the state continues to build on the momentum of its rural transformation strategy — a model increasingly driven by collective action and targeted financial inclusion.