Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma launched the draft policy document for 'Jackson Mission' at the Jackfruit Festival in Shillong on Friday.

The mission, to be launched before Independence Day this year, aims to generate employment opportunities for over 82,000 farmers, and impact 50 small and medium enterprises along with 200 nano enterprises. The mission has a budget of Rs 80 crore.

Of the Rs 80 crore, Rs 42.6 crore will be sourced from the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Rs 30.2 crore from the state government as support funds and Rs 6.3 crore from the Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries.

The mission will be launched under the supervision of Meghalaya's Additional Chief Secretary KN Kumar, who claimed that roughly 75 percent of the jackfruit grown in the state is wasted and hoped that through this intervention, the value addition of the fruit will lead towards positive changes.

At the jackfruit festival, various value-added products were on display such as chips, juices, wines, biscuits, cakes, curry and other culinary items.

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