MSME's model farm to help tribal population

KOLKATA: Micro Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) department is going to set up a model farm, spread out over 20 acre land, to produce vetiver, lemon grass and essential oils. The farm aims to help the tribal population in Jhargram to gain financial independence.

It may be mentioned that after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came to power in 2011, several steps taken by her have established peace. This was after putting an end to Maoist activities in areas of the Jangalmahal. Jhargram has been made a separate district and Banerjee has frequently visited the area to fulfill the schemes that were taken up.

A high-level team comprising officials from MSME department, Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre (FFDC), Kannauj, Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs department and District Administration, Jhargram visited Seva Bharati Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) on Saturday and conducted a meeting with KVK scientists and farmers at KVK Conference Hall. They also went and identified the 20 acre land for the model farm development purposes.

Vijay Bharti, director, MSME, Shakti Vinoy Shukla, director, FFDC, Kannauj, Babulal Mahato, Paschimanchal Unnayan Affairs department, Nakul Chandra Mahato, SDO, Jhargram, Alim Ansari, BDO, Jambani Block attended the meeting and visit the land.

The first cultivation, in the form of a pilot project, will happen on the 20-acre land at KVK, Jhargram. A distillation unit will also be established there.

Vijay Bharti, director, MSME said: "We are trying to utilise the land for cultivating vetiver, lemon grass, citronella and mint for producing essential oils to generate income for the tribal population in the areas."

FFDC, Kannauj, an autonomous institute under ministry of MSME, Government of India will assist in the training of farmers and technical persons, setting up exposure visits for them and standardising the procedures for preparing and marketing various oil products.

Shakti Vinoy Shukla, director, FFDC, Kannauj, said: "I am happy to see such enthusiastic officers and farmers.

It will certainly generate employment in this sector. Over 50,000 are already associated with the aroma industry in this district".