Second unit for fly ash brick production comes up in Bankura

The second unit to produce brick from fly ash was set up in Bankura district on Thursday. This will help 22 ST families to be economically stronger.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asked the state government officials to make plans for the poorest of the poor and those coming from economically challenged background.

Accordingly, the scheme was taken in Bankura under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme. The fly ash is brought from the Thermal Power stations and then with the help of a modern machine, bricks are manufactured. The state government has closed down many brick kilns as they pollute the environment. The bricks manufactured from fly ash are strong.

The state government selected the ST families and installed the manufacturing machine. There is no environment pollution and the cost prices of the bricks are Rs 2 per brick which is cheaper than the bricks that are available in the market. The price of each brick available in the market varies anything between Rs 6 to Rs 8. The bricks made out of fly ash are sold at Rs 4.50 per brick. The bricks are used for construction of rural roads and in construction of government buildings. The excess bricks are sold outside.

The poor families are earning money because of the project. The project has also started in Nadia where the response is very high. The bricks made of fly ash are in high demand. “Proper planning and motivation of the beneficiaries have helped them improve their living standard,” a senior official said. It may be recalled that a central team that had come to the state about two months ago had appreciated the work of the Panchayat and Rural development department and the steps taken to make rural populace economically stronger.