Raipur: Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said that solar dryers used for drying vegetables will be made available in Gauthans. Keeping in view the large scale production of tomatoes in Dhamdha and Pathalgaon, the work of selling tomatoes can be started by drying them in the Gauthans of the area using the solar dryers. Similarly, in other places, the vegetables grown commercially across the state can be sold after their drying process. This will help in boosting the income of farmers and other associated groups.
He was addressing a virtual programme organized for releasing funds to the beneficiaries of Godhan Nyaya Yojana at his residence office here today.
Baghel transferred an amount of Rs 7.05 crore to cattle rearers, cow dung sellers, Gauthan committees and women self-help groups in the programme. This includes payment of Rs 4.59 crore to the cattle rearers, farmers and the landless in the lieu of cow dung procured from them in the Gauthans from December 16 to December 31. Besides, an amount of Rs. 1.46 crore was released to Gauthan committees and Rs. 1 crore to women’s groups associated with Gauthans.
Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey, Chief Minister’s Advisor Pradeep Sharma, Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain, Agriculture Production Commissioner Dr. Kamal Preet Singh and senior department officials were present on the occasion.
Adressing the virtual programme, chief minister said “Godhan Nyaya Yojana and Rural Industrial Park will soon be globally recognized as a successful scheme to boost income of villagers and create more employment in rural areas. The schemes are getting huge public support with villagers demanding to establish new enterprises. Assistance should be provided to villagers and self-help groups to set up useful and profitable small and cottage industries according to local resources and market demand. The work of RIPA should be expedited.”
Speaking about the initiative of natural paint production started in Gauthans, he said that the women groups are demanding to establish more such units for producing natural paint using cow dung. Besides, the work of producing vermi-compost from cow dung is already a success in the view of its demand and sales. In many Gauthans, the work of electricity generation from cow dung is also starting. The work of setting up power plants in Sukma and Jagdalpur will be completed in this month.
He added that products like ‘Gau-Kasht’ and flower pots are also being prepared from cow dung. The vision of starting cottage industries in villages is now being realized. He said that out of 10,894 sanctioned Gauthans, the construction of 9,591 Gauthans has been completed. About 50 per cent of Gauthans have become self-sufficient. A total of 4,564 self-supporting Gauthans have purchased cow dung worth Rs 35.19 crore using their own funds.
Agriculture minister Ravindra Choubey said on the occasion that the vision of ‘Garhbo Nava Chhattisgarh’ is now being realized in the state-run Gauthans. He said that so far 98.73 lakh quintal cow dung has been procured in Gauthans, in lieu of which Rs 197.45 crore has been paid to the cow dung vendors. Similarly, through this scheme, Rs 171.87 crore has been paid to Gauthan committees and women self-help groups so far. Self-help groups associated with Gauthans have so far earned Rs 105.18 crore from income generating activities. Nearly 16.69 quintals vermi compost produced in Gauthans has been sold till now.
Natural paint production units will be started in 37 Gauthans
It was informed in the programme that a total of 37 units for making natural paint from cow dung would be established by the end of this month in 37 Gauthans of 25 districts of the state. At present, production has started in 2 units each in Raipur and Durg district and one in Kanker. With the sale of 3307 liters of natural paint out of 8997 liters produced, the women self-help groups have generated an income of Rs 7 lakh 2 thousand 30.
Women’s groups earned Rs 22.43 lakh from the sale of ‘Brahmastra’ and ‘Jeevamrit’
About 1.16 lakh liters of cow urine has been procured in 96 Gauthans at Rs 4 per litre. Women self-help groups have earned an income of Rs 22.43 lakh from the sale of insecticide ‘Brahmastra’ and growth enhancer ‘Jeevamrit’. On the appeal of Chief Minister, farmers have donated 10.32 lakh quintal paddy stubble to Gauthans.
Self-supporting Gauthans are buying more cow dung than the agriculture department
Out of the amount of Rs 4.59 crore paid today to cow dung vendors for the cow dung purchased in the last fortnight, Rs 1.76 crore was paid by the Agriculture Department, while the remaining Rs 2.83 crore was paid by 4564 self-supporting Gauthans.
