Women grow chamomile under MGNREGA in D'sala

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Dept providing Rs55K per kanal

-The women will be able to earn Rs 2.5 lakh per annum each from one hectare, said officers.

-The Rural Development Department is providing a help of Rs 55,000 per kanal to women taking to chamomile farming in the Dharamsala region.

-This includes providing labour under the MGNREGA for farming and providing chamomile samplings.

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 1

Many women covered under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) in Dharamsala block are taking to chamomile farming.

Chamomile is a famous tea flavour and rural development officers, who are encouraging this farming, say women involved in it will be able to earn Rs 2.5 lakh per annum each from one hectare. Once sown, chamomile plants keep giving flowers every three months and so the growers could earn round the year.

Abhineet Katyayan, BDO, Dharamsala, while talking to The Tribune, said it was for the first time that the women associated with self-help groups were taking to chamomile farming. The Rural Development Department was providing a help of Rs 55,000 per kanal to women taking to chamomile farming in the Dharamsala region. This includes providing labour under the MGNREGA for farming and providing chamomile samplings. At present, only a few women in the Paddar area have come forward, he said.

The BDO said the first crop of chamomile farming done by women in the region would bear flowers after 2.5 months. The department would also help the women sell their produce. It will initially be sold locally under the Namaste Dharamsala brand that has been created to sell local produce to tourists coming. The produce will then be graded and if the quality is found to be satisfactory, it will be sold through e-marketing sites such as Amazon, the BDO said.

He said in an area of 1 kanal, around 1,500 saplings were planted, which were also being provided under the MGNREGA.

Kangra ADC Rahul visited Paddar village today to inspect the plantation. This is for the first time that chamomile cultivation is being taken up under MGNREGA in the state. The technical guidance of plantation is being provided by Ayurvedic Medical Officer Anish Bhatia, the BDO said.