Selection of Gariaband District Under Prime Minister's Micro Food Upgradation Scheme

• 24 Dec 2021

Why in News

• Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh has been selected under the Prime Minister's Micro Food Upgradation Scheme (PMFME) of the Government of India. The district has been selected considering the production, collection and quality of minor forest produce.

Key Points

• In the workshop organized in this regard, Divisional Forest Officer Mayank Agarwal said that 26,000 quintals of minor forest produce had been collected in the district last year. The collectors have got a profit of Rs 15 crore due to this.
• He said that after collection, a system of processing has been made in Van Dhan Kendras. It is being sold through Sanjeevani Kendras in the district. About 3 thousand quintals of chironji have been collected this year.
• Collector Nilesh Kshirsagar said in the workshop that lac, chironji, sarai seeds are produced in abundance in the district. The Sarai seeds here are in great demand in foreign countries. Preparations are being made to open a mini food park and processing center in the district.
• Zilla Panchayat CEO Sandeep Agrawal informed that 8 thousand 500 groups have been formed in the district under Bihan, which are earning income through different activities. He informed that 241 women members have been selected under this scheme, for which Rs 60 lakh will be released by the Industries Department.
• Under this scheme, the individual investor will get a maximum capital grant of Rs 10 lakh at the rate of 35 percent of the project cost. A maximum capital of Rs 40,000 will be provided to the members of the Self Help Groups. Apart from this, capital grant at the rate of 35 percent will be given to the Farmer Producer Organization.