Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday held a meeting with a team of NITI Aayog members headed by Dr VK Saraswat at the Main Secretariat in Shillong.
They discussed at length various steps for sustainable development.
The meeting also discussed the need to develop the Himalayan region which the State of Meghalaya is a part of.
Sustainable tourism, spring shed development, development of Agro Forestry, plantation of oil seeds during fallow were some of the points that were deliberated on during the meeting.
The Chief Minister in his remarks while thanking the NITI Aayog members said it is the focus of the government to develop the State on a sustainable model.
He cited an example of Chandigre in Garo Hills in which places of tourist and strategic importance are being developed where the Soil Conservation, Agriculture, Tourism, Horticulture, Forestry, Food Processing and C & RD will be integrated.
“We are developing such places to a complete sustainable economic zone taking care of the biodiversity, environment conservation and issues related such as shifting cultivation while providing the people with alternative and sustainable means of livelihood,” he said.
NITI Aayog members informed that there is a need to have centres for development of the Himalayan region to sensitize and create awareness of the region.
Education, migration of people to plain areas, shifting cultivation and drying of spring sheds were some of the major concerns, they informed.
The NITI Aayog members recommended that there is an urgent need of mapping and creating database for the development of spring sheds.
The members also suggested plantation of oil seeds and millet during fallow in the agriculture sector and promoting home gardens complimenting the home gardens with animal husbandry integrating tourism into it as some initiatives for creating sustainable development in the State.
The members also suggested monitoring of guidelines while promoting responsible tourism for the State’s development.
