‘State to launch Matir Sathi scheme in several districts’
Kolkata: The Bengal government will launch Matir Sathi scheme in several other districts after the scheme became popular in six districts since its launch in 2020.
The scheme has been taken up in the six western districts —Bankura, West Midnapore, Jhargram, West Burdwan, Purulia and Birbhum.
Senior officials of the state government said since its launch, around 1.5 lakh beneficiaries have been benefited.
The Matir Sristi scheme was announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in May 2020. The scheme involves various departments like Horticulture, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and WRI&D department converging to commercially exploit fallow land through horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry for additional income generation of the farmers and economic upliftment of the community through community participation along with environmental benefits mainly in the dry regions. West Midnapore has spearheaded the implementation of this scheme by involving 10,281 farmers on 3,400 acres of land. At least 8,206 farmers have been involved in 5,509 acres in Bankura while Purulia has seen 7,372 farmers engaged in the scheme spreading across 5,000 acres of land coming under plantation at 86 sites. Birbhum has brought 4,570 acres of land under plantation by involving 4,023 farmers while in West Burdwan, 2677.5 acres of land have come under plantation with 3,959 farmers. Jhargram has engaged 1,255 farmers spanned across 896 acres of land under the scheme.
The Fishery department has taken up 499 sites in the six districts while 44.99 lakh saplings have been planted on 11,212 acres of land.
Saplings of mango, jackfruit, neem, coconut, lemon, amloki, sapota, mehogini, karaoke, serial, sishu, sweet lime, dragon fruit, kaju among others have been planted.
