CM lays foundation stone for processing unit of minor forest produce

Central Chronicle News
Bhilai, Oct 20: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel performed bhoomipujan for construction of Ayurvedic Medicine Unit and laid foundation stone for establishment of Central Processing Unit of minor forest produce in village M Jamgaon of Patan block on Wednesday. In his address, the Chief Minister said that around 5000 people would get employment in this processing unit. The unit will ensure better income opportunities for the forest produce collectors.
The profit from the unit will be distributed among the collectors as a bonus. The Chief Minister said that natural resources like iron and coal can be exhausted but forest produce will never be exhausted. CM anticipated that the Jamgaon processing unit will run forever and provide new opportunities to the forest produce collectors and people engaged in processing.
Chief Minister further said that Chhattisgarh is the only land after the foothills of Himalayas, which has excellent potential for medicinal plants. Unfortunately, till now no work had been done in the field of processing of medicinal plants. Till now, the collectors were not getting proper price of the minor forest produce. Now with the commissioning of this unit, new possibilities will open in this sector. The Chief Minister said that he had directed the Forest Department to plant fruit bearing and medicinal plants in the forests. In this sequel, the department has planted 1.90 lakh saplings. Baghel added that a pulp unit of Sitaphal (custard apple) has been set up in Kanker. ‘Tikhur Shake’ of Kondagaon is being exported abroad and is being shipped to Vietnam. Work is going on for production of ‘Tamarind Candy’ in Sukma. Work is underway on garments brand ‘Dennex’ in Dantewada. In this way, Congress government is conducting works towards furthering the possibilities of the tribal area. Chief Minister urged the farmers to take Arva variety of paddy. He said that it is in the interest of the state that farmers should shift more quantity to Arva rice. He said that the state government has demanded the central government to set up an ethanol unit where ethanol will be produced from paddy. Till now, its approval has not been received from the central government. If this project is approved, it will prove to be a boon for the farmers of Chhattisgarh because the state government will also be able to procure paddy for the summer crop of the farmers. Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar said that the development taking place in the state under the leadership of the Chief Minister is being appreciated all over the country. In the recent survey, special praise has been given to the work of the Chief Minister. The work he has done to promote minor forest produce collectors, are proving to be a milestone in the direction of increasing the forest produce possibilities in the state. The processing unit that is being set up in Jamgaon will open new doors of possibilities of minor forest produce and the collectors will get a special price for their produce. Industries Minister Kawasi Lakhma said that the Chief Minister has also encouraged the enterprise of making Laddu etc from Mahua. In this way, the government has done a great job in the direction of giving shape to the huge potential of minor forest produce in Chhattisgarh. Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Association, Sanjay Shukla gave detailed information about the project. PCCF Rakesh Chaturvedi said that by setting up the processing unit of minor forest produce in the state, the collectors would get a fair price. Principal Secretary Manoj Pingua, CCF Shalini Raina, Collector Dr Sarveshwar Narendra Bhure, Forest Divisional Officer Dhammsheel Ganveer and other officers were present. Chairman of District Co-operative Central Bank Jawahar Verma, Chairman of Durg District Mandi Board Ashwani Sahu and other public representatives were also present. Chief Minister also announced to set up a hospital at M Jamgaon. Along with this, he also announced the setting up of a paddy procurement center and construction of a rest house. Chief Minister presented laptops to two girls of village Chulgahan who are blind by birth. The laptops will provide better opportunities of learning to Menasveer Raghuvanshi and Mandakini Raghuvanshi. The Chief Minister also released a book on the merits of Millet. Chief Minister Baghel also showed the Gamcha of Chhattisgarh to the villagers.
He said that they have declared it as Chhattisgarh’s gamchha. There are pictures of tribal dances, farmers and paddy on it. He hoped that the people would appreciate it. It needs to be mentioned here that the Ayurvedic medicine unit will be set up in 27 acres of land and its total cost will be Rs 79 crore. In the first phase, work worth Rs 60 crore will be done. The central processing unit will be worth Rs 100 crore and will be spread over 83 acres. Apart from this, a food park based on minor forest produce will be set up in 17 hectares. Here, industrial plots will be made available to private investors by CSIDC.

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