Nongstoin – Meghalaya PCS Free Notes

Minerals in Meghalaya

January 15, 2018October 26, 2024 by rawan239

Minerals in Meghalaya

Meghalaya is endowed with sizeable deposits of a number of valuable minerals. Coal, limestone, uranium, granite, kaolin, clay and glass sand are the principal minerals. A brief account of mineral resources is as follows:

Limestone

An extensive bed of limestone occurs in the Southern part of the State from Jaintia Hills in the East and Garo Hills in the West. The main deposits are found around Cherrapunjee, Mawlong, Ichamati, Shella, Komorrah in the East Khasi Hills district; Borsora and Bagli in the West Khasi Hills district; Lakadong, Lumshnong and Nongkhlieh in the Jaintia Hills district; and Darrang Era-aning, Siju, Chokpot in the South Garo Hills district.

Coal

Most of the coal reserves in Meghalaya are tertiary reserves.Coal occurs in Mikir Hills, Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills districts. The production of upgraded coal was reported by private non-captive mines in the unorganised sector located in these areas except Mikir Hills district. The mines are operated mostly by the local tribals in their private lands.

Uranium reserves in Meghalaya

Meghalaya is the third uranium rich state in the country after Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh. The state accounts for 16 per cent of Indias uranium reserves, with deposits estimated to be around 9,500 tones and 4,000 tones respectively at Domiasiat and Wakhyn, both in West Khasi hills region. Minerals in Meghalaya

Kyelleng-Pyndengsohiong, Mawthabah (KPM) uranium mining project is located in the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya state in the North East region of India. Formerly this project was also known as Domiasiat uranium mining project. The Atomic Mineral Directorate for Exploration and Research in 1972 found evidences of uranium deposits in the area which was confirmed by 1996 after intensive drilling between 1992 and 1996. Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) proposes to mine it using open pit mining method up to a depth of 45 m. The processing plant will be constructed at Mawthabah. It is estimated that KPM deposit in Meghalaya will last for 25 years.

Clay

Clay of various types such as Kaolin (China clay), white clay, and fire clay are found in various parts of the states. These clay are suitable for the ceramic, paper, rubber and refractory industries. It has been estimated that there are a few hundred million tonnes of clay reserved in the state.

Granite reserves

Deposits of multi-coloured granite have been located around nongpoh in the Ri-Bhoi district, mylliem in the east khasi hills district; mawkyrwat and nongstoin in the west khasi hills distric.

Sand deposits

The sand deposits of the State are mainly concentrated in Khasi hills. The glass deposits of Laitryn grew coal field and around Shillong are found to be suitable for manufacturing of ordinary bottle glasrs, window glass etc. and with some chemical pu rification even for sheet glass and flint glass. Some of the sands are within the specifica tion o f foundry sands, which are now in great demand in the country. The estimated reserve of glass deposits is about 2.30 m illion tonnes as against Tripura – 0.18 m illion tones.

Feldspar and quartz occur near Tura in Garo hills and near Hahim in Khasi Hills. The estimated mining reserve of feldspar in the State (0.02 million tonnes) is at par with Assam (0.02 million tonne),2 3456 while the quartz is 2.03 m illion tonnes as compared to Tripura – 0.19 million tonnes.

Massive sillimanite associated with corrundum occurs in Khasi hills . More than 2i deposits have been located in the vicinity of Sonapahar, Nongpur and Nongbain villages and are worked by the Assam Sillimanite Ltd. Most of the deposits contain sillimanite with admixed corrundum to a little extent, one or two entirely of corrundum and several of sillimanite only.

Meghalaya Schemes & Projects

October 28, 2017October 6, 2024 by rawan239

Meghalaya Schemes & Projects

Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS):

The Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS) is being implemented across the state of Meghalaya by the government. The objective of the scheme is to provide financial aid to all the citizens of the state at the time of hospitalization. The policy period of insurance is only one year but it can be renewed by making payment of the insurance premium.

The state government is providing a universal health insurance to all citizens of the State under Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS). All the citizens can enroll in the scheme but they have to pay some nominal amount as the enrollment fee to avail the scheme benefits. This scheme is being implemented through New India Assurance Company Ltd.

The state government under the phase 3 of Megha Health Insurance Scheme has been increased to Rs. 2,80,000 for up to 5 members of the family on floater basis. The maximum one time hospitalization for critical care has also been increased to Rs 250000 from Rs 170000. The enrollment fee for MHIS phase 3 is Rs. 50 Rupees and does not have any age limit. The smart cards issued under the scheme can be used to avail free and cashless treatment at all government hospitals and empaneled private health institutions.

New Shillong Township :

This scheme is aimed at taking up infrastructure development works at New Shillong Township. To accommodate the future population of Shillong, proposal for setting up of a new township designed for 2,00,000 population was conceived by the department. An area of 2030 hectares has been identified to the East of the Shillong city. It is proposed to develop the township as a joint venture involving both Government and Private initiative. Government intervention is restricted to acquiring and developing 500 hectares of land while in the remaining areas only the bulk infrastructure will be laid by the Government. As of date,370.26 hectares of land has already been acquired. Detailed Project Report (D.P.R.) of the different sectors like road, power, water supply, sewerage and drainage etc. has been prepared and ready for implementation.

Environmental Improvement Of Urban Slum (E.I.U.S.) :

The Environmental Improvement of Urban slums scheme which is a part of the 20 Point Programme is being implemented in the Slum areas of Shillong, Tura, Jowai, Baghmara, Williamnagar and Nongstoin. The scheme has played a significant and satisfying role in the improvement of slum areas in the above towns. Basic amenities like drains, footpaths, sanitation facilities, drinking water, water supply etc. have been provided under the scheme. The Scheme is being implemented by the Office of the Executive Engineer, Urban Affairs in the respective towns.

Housing For All (Urban) Mission :

The scheme was launched on 25th June 2015 with an objective to provide rehabilitation of slum dwellers with participation of private developers using land as a source, to promote affordable housing for weaker section through credit linked subsidy, to provide affordable housing in partnership with public and private sectors and to provide subsidy for beneficiary-led individual house construction. 10 statutory towns in the State have been included under the programme which include as follows- Shillong Municpal Board(S.M.B.), Shillong Cantonment Board(C.B.), Shillong Urban Agglomeration Area (only Census Towns excluding S.M.B. area),Tura, Jowai, Baghmara, Williamnagar, Resubelpara, Mairang, Nongstoin ,Nongpoh. Currently Demand Survey is being carried out in all the topwns to assess the housing demand and requirement.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY):

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) is a flagship scheme of Narendra Modi government under which skill development training is provided to youth in different verticals. The government is providing skill training in different industry verticals through authorized training centers across the country.

As per 23rd March 2017, there are a total of 2150 PMKVY training centers operating across the country for providing skill training to youth. These training centers are operated by different authorized training partners of PM Kaushal Vikas Yojana

44 Lakh Homes Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana:

Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin targets for 2017 has been revised by the central government after the announcement made by PM Narendra Modi in his 31st December Speech. The government has increased the overall number of housing units to be constructed by 1 Crore under the PMAY-G.

The central government has set a target of building 44 Lakh homes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin by the end of December 2017. According to the statistics released by Ministry of Rural Development, about 22 Lakh houses have been constructed in rural areas under PMAY-G till 28th January. The ministry will complete the construction of 1 Crore 33 Lakh houses in three years from 2016-17 to 2018-19 which also includes 33 Lakh homes under previous Indira Awas Yojana.

List of Airports Under UDAN Scheme (Udey Desh Ka Aam Nagrik):

UDAN Scheme, the regional air connectivity scheme recently launched by the central government to make the air travel cheaper has started to see the sun of the day. According to industry chamber FICCI, about 44 airports across the country has the potential to execute operations under the scheme.

The list of 44 out of 414 underserved and unserved airports has been prepared based upon geographical, operational and commercial parameters which has potential to be part of regional connectivity scheme UDAN. The report also mentions the list of around 370 potential destinations for the shortlisted airports, including metros, state capitals and important commercial, industrial and tourism centers. Shillong and Tura of Meghalaya is proposed for the Airport under this scheme.

Swachh Bharat Mission :-

This is a newly launched programme of Ministry of Urban Development which was launched on 2nd October 2014 with a target date to achieve all objectives by the 2nd October, 2019. The Mission was also formally launched in the State of Meghalaya on the 2nd October, 2014. 10 statutory towns in the State have been included under the programme which include as follows- Shillong Municpal Board(S.M.B.), Shillong Cantonment Board(C.B.), Shillong Urban Agglomeration Area (only Census Towns excluding S.M.B. area),Tura, Jowai, Baghmara, Williamnagar, Resubelpara, Mairang, Nongstoin ,Nongpoh. The Mission is being implemented by the Municipal Boards in Municipal Towns and the respective Deputy Commissioner in Non-Municipal Towns.

Relief and structure of Meghalaya

January 15, 2018September 26, 2024 by rawan239

Relief and structure of Meghalaya

Meghalaya is an upland area formed by a detached block of the Deccan plateau. Its summits vary in elevation from 4,000 to 6,000 feet (1,220 to 1,830 metres). The Garo Hills in the west rise abruptly from the Brahmaputra River valley to about 1,000 feet (300 metres) and then merge with the Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, adjacent highland systems that form a single massif of tablelands separated by a series of eastward-trending ridges. The southern faces of the plateau, overlooking the Bangladesh lowlands, is particularly steep.

Meghalaya Plateau belongs to the part of Super Continent of Gondwanaland, i.e., the Peninsular table land, but is detached from the latter by the intervening spread of the alluvium of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. The structural history of the region reveals several phases of erosion, sedimentation, diastrophism, intrusion, movements of land and sea, and emission.

The plateau is mainly made up of rocks of the pre-Cambrian age. The pre-Tertiary and Tertiary rocks occur above these rocks on its western and southern margins. Stratigraphically the rocks of the plateau belong to five broad geological formations, namely the Archaean gneissic complex, the Shillong group of rocks, the lower Gondwana, the Sylhet traps, and Cretaceous – Tertiary – Quarternary Sediment.

The Archaean-gneissic complex occupies the central and northern parts of Meghalaya Plateau. The rocks include gneiss, granite, quartzites, schists, etc. The Shillong group of rocks lying unconformably over the gneissic complex, occurs in the central and eastern parts of the plateau These include phylite, quartzites, schists and conglomerates.

The lower Gondwana rocks are found in the western part of Garo Hills which include pebble beds, sandstones and shale. The Sylhet trap is exposed along the southern border of the Khasi Hills in an east-west direction, and rests unconformably over the eroded pre-Cambrian basement rocks. These rocks are predominantly basalt, rhyolite and acid tuffs.

The Garo Hills region of the State, in its greater portion, is formed of gneissic rocks overlaid by sandstones and 1 conglomerates of Cretaceous-Tertiary system.

The sediments of this system of rocks are known as the Garo group in the region. This group of rocks is again divided into the Simsang, Baghmara and the Chengapara formations. The Simsang is the oldest formation in the Garo group which lies conformably over the Kopili series (the youngest formation of the Jaintia group of Cretaceous – Tertiary sediments), and consists of siitstone and sandstone.

the Baghmara formation includes sand, pebble, conglomerates and clay which lie conformably over the Simsang formation. The Chengapara formation consists of sand, siitstone and clay. On the top of these Cretaceous-Tertiary formations rests limestone of Numulitic age, while sandstones of upper Tertiary origin form low hiiis along the Mymensing border. Relief and structure of Meghalaya

The Khasi Hills are located east of the Garo Hills. The other Khasi tribes did not have princes but their twenty petty states (hima), and sometimes even smaller tribal divisions, are led by one or two Chiefs -selected in various ways- usually styled Siem, Syiem. The names of these chieftainships are : Bhawal, Cherra (or Sohra; capital Cherrapunji), Dwara (capital Hat Dwara), Jirang, Khyri(e)m (capital Cherrapunjee, under a Radja), Langrin, Lungiong, Maharam, Malai Sohmat, Marriw, Mawdon, Mawiang, Mawlong, Mawphlang, Mylliem (including Shillong city, the colonial capital of all Tribal Assam), Nobosohphoh, Noglwai, Nongkhlaw, Nongspung, Nongstoin, Pamsanggut, Rambrai, Shella, Sohiong. or Sardar .

The Jaintia Hills are located further to the east from the Khasi Hills. The twelve Chiefs of the elaka (tribal province) of the Jaintia, a Khasi subtribe of the) Pantars = Syntengs tribes, are styled Dolloi, and the land is called after them in Khasi: KA RI KHADAR DOLLOI ‘Land of 12 Tribal Chiefs‘) – they are in Nartiang itself (see the Raja, uniquely also styled, as premier Chief: U Kongsong), and in Amwi, Jowai, Lakadong, Mynso, Nongbah, Nongjngi, Nongphyllut, Nongtallang, Raliang, Shangpung, Sutnga (see below; also cited as seat of a Syiem) Above them is the only true princely ruler of the area, the Raja of Jaintiapur.

His winter capital is now in Bangladesh, with his summer residence shifted from Sutnga (where the family started as Syiems) to Nartiang; also a palace in the commercial center Borghat. The Jaintia Hills used to be a part of the Jaintia Hills District. The district has been bifurcated into two separate districts,namely, East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills on 31 July 2012.

Animal husbandry in Meghalaya

January 15, 2018September 25, 2024 by rawan239

Animal husbandry in Meghalaya

Livestock including Poultry is an integral part of agriculture and contributes significantly to rural economy. While agriculture contributes about 30% of the total output of GDP, livestock including poultry constitutes about 25% of the total agricultural output. Rearing of livestock and poultry is an age old practice in the country with no exception to the State of Meghalaya. Livestock production has a much larger contribution to manpower employment than agriculture, while eggs, milk and meat production help in stepping up crop production through the availability of cash to the livestock farmer which is utilised for purchase of seed, manure and fertilizers for agricultural operation. Establishment of dairy, poultry, goat, pig farms help solve unemployment problems and provide valuable protein, vitamin and mineral rich materials like eggs, milk and meat. Organic manure from livestock and poultry enrich the soil for higher production of crop, vegetable and flower as well as horticultural produce.

In the State of Meghalaya, due to peculiar topography, varying climatic situation and socio-economic condition, the agriculture operation constitute to only about 10% of the total land under cultivation, thereby livestock and poultry provide the alternative avocation to the farmers for a subsidiary living.

Though the present output of livestock production in the State has been increasing at higher proportion to the growth of human population, the overall availability situation is not encouraging to the extent that as against the requirement of 220 gm of milk per person per day, only 75 gm is now available in the State. Similarly, availability of eggs per person per year is only 35 as against the requirement of 150. Therefore greater efforts are necessary to close the gap between demand and supply. Animal husbandry in Meghalaya

The department of Animal husbandry & Veterinary has taken up various measures to bring about a noticeable improvement in production, processing and marketing of livestock and livestock products. One such measure is to establish more farms with quality germplasm for making availability to farmers.

The activities of the Department were mainly centred round the broad objectives of :

Providing Health coverage to the Livestock and poultry population from the ravages of diseases through treatment and preventive vaccination.
Introducing improved breeding techniques for upgrading the Local Stock.
Ensuring better Animal Husbandry practices through scientific adoption and approach of Extension and Research.
Building up of adequate technical and professional man-power through Education and Training.
Encouraging setting up of livestock and poultry industries.

Infrastructure of the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department

Veterinary Hospital – 4

Veterinary Dispensaries – 113

Veterinary Aid Centres – 50

Mobile Veterinary Dispensaries – 15

Vigilance Unit – 7

Stockman Centres – 34

Key Village Centres – 15

Check Posts – 4

Disease Diagnostic Laboratories – 8

Cattle farm – 4

Buffalo Farm – 1

Poultry farm – 13

Pig farm – 13

During the last 40 years, the Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary has initiated various developmental programmes on different aspects of Livestock and Poultry sector for the interest of the State in general and the farmers in particular are as follows:

Cattle & Buffalo Development
Fodder Development
Poultry Development
Piggery Development
Sheep, Goat & Rabbit Development
Animal Health & Veterinary Services
Veterinary Research
Education and Training
Dairy Development
Subsidy Schemes
CSS Schemes

Cattle and buffalo development

This is an integrated programme of cattle & buffalo development which includes breeding, feeding and management practices to boost up milk production as well as to develop a suitable marketing network for milk and other milk products. There are four Cattle Farm and one Buffalo Farm in the state of Meghalaya. The department is also having 2 Intensive Cattle Development Project (ICDP) Centre for production of quality semen by establishing Liquid Nitrogen Plant. One at Upper Shillong and one at Tura. Artificial Insemination programmes in cattle are carried out in the field through 40 Stockman Centres and Key Village Centres spread throughout the State. The Objective is to upgrade the local cows and to augment milk production in the State.

Piggery development

Since the demand of pork in the State of Meghalaya is very high, the Government have established 13 Pig Farms in the State with the ultimate aim to augment production of pork. Pigs from these farm are being distribute to the farmers for further multiplication and up gradation of local stock The Pig farms are (i)Regional Pig Breeding Farm, Kyrdemkulai, (ii) Pig Farm, Mawryngkneng (iii) Pig Farm, Pynursla, (iv) Pig Farm, Thadlaskein (v) Pig Farm, Mairang (vi) Pig Farm, Nongstoin (vii) Pig Farm, Gindo(Waram Songma) (viii) Pig Farm, Dalu (ix) Pig Farm, Rongjeng (x) Pig Farm, Baghmara (xi) Pig Farm Laitryngew (xii) Pig Farm Nongkasen and ((xiii) Pig Farm Nongpiur.

Dairy development

The objective of the scheme is to supply wholesome milk to the consumers whereby milk is being procured from producers and distributed to the public after pastuerisation. The procurement and distribution has been given to their respective Agency/Society. The Department has got 3 Dairy Plants at Shillong, Jowai and Tura, and 2 Milk Chilling Plants, one each at Nongstoin and Resubelpara.