A floriculturist at 70, Dina Nath sets example for jobless youth

Rajesh Sharma

Una, October 25

Seventy-year-old Dina Nath, a resident of Tyar village in Bangana subdivision of the district, has set up a profit-earning floriculture enterprise on his ancestral land.

At the age when people avoid strenuous physical work, Dina Nath has set an example for his son and several unemp-loyed youth.

Dina Nath initiated the enterprise two years ago on a 1,000-sq-ft polyhouse, which has a capacity to grow 6,000 gerbera saplings. He even received subsidy for the project under the Integrated Horticulture Mission of the Central Government.

“Impressed with the massive success within a year of the project, my 34-year-old son Harish Kumar, who was also looking for a livelihood, decided to join my initiative,” he said.

Holding a degree in MBA, Harish was satisfied with the results of the business. Consequently, he applied for a second 1,000-sq-ft polyhouse under the “HP Fool Kranti Yojana” (HP Floriculture Revolution Scheme).

“Harish was trained by the Horticulture Department and was later released 85 per cent subsidy on the cost of the polyhouse besides 50 per cent subsidy on inputs in developing the flower beds and laying drip irrigation system,” Dina Nath said.

The family has doubled the cultivated area and today they sell around 2.5 lakh sticks of gerbera flowers annually.

“Our flowers are transported by the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus courier service to the markets in Delhi and Chandigarh. The family income has already touched Rs 50,000 a month,” Dina Nath said.

He said the youth who fail to get jobs in private or government sectors should start their own enterprises. 

“It is much easier now with the government providing several incentives in the form of free technical training and subsidies through various schemes,” he said.

Terming polyhouse a better option, he said: “It enables protected farming that minimises spread of diseases and weeds besides conserving water as it uses drip irrigation system.”

District Horticulture Department Deputy Director Subhash Chand said: “Interested floriculturists can get incentives under the Centre-sponsored Integrated Horticulture Mission and the state government-sponsored Fool Kranti Yojana. Those interested are free to approach the department.”