West Jaintia Hills village come up with a fishing pond through MGNREGS

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 20, 2022

Taking a break from usual convention of construction of motorable roads or footpaths through the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), a village employment council (VEC) of one of the largest villages under Laskein Community & Rural Development (C&RD) of West Jaintia Hills District came with a innovative idea of constructing a fishing pond.

This village is no other than Sahsniang A located at around fifty kilometers away from Jowai the district headquarter of West Jaintia Hills District. It falls under 4- Mowkaiaw Assembly Constituency.

According to Sahsniang A Waheh Shnong and VEC chairman D Ymbon, “We conceptualized the idea way back in 2017 and we submitted the proposal for the scheme of construction of fishing ponds to the competent authority,which was duly approved and sanctioned.”

He also informed that they received a total amount of Rs. 1.13 crore for the purpose of constructing the fishing ponds.

The VEC Chairman said that out of the Dorbar Shnong funds they purchased a plot of lands from private party so that the entire villagers will have a sense of ownership over the fishing ponds.

Ymbon informed a total of 430 job card holders of the village work dedicatedly and sincerely to construct the fishing ponds.

On the idea behind construction of fishing pond, the Sahsniang A said that it is to generate income out of the proceeds of sale of fishes and also to make it into a tourist spot by further developing with other attractions.

The fishing pond was inaugurated by West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner BS Sohliya, IAS in the presence of DRDA project director PK Boro, Saphai MDC Habahun Dkhar and others.