Chhattisgarh

• 07 Dec 2022

Minor Forest Produce Product Park in Deobhog

Why In News?

On December 6, 2022, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel laid the foundation stone of a rural enterprise park based on Minor Forest Produce being built in village 'Indagaon' near Deobhog, the development block headquarters of remote Vananchal region of Gariaband district.

Key Points

• The objective of setting up a Rural Enterprise Park at Deobhog is to bring value addition considering the availability of raw materials found in the region. This park will be a catalyst for the empowerment of women in the social and economic structure of the villages.
• A total of 11 women self-help groups will be included in this center, under which about 150 women will be directly connected to the center and more than 16000 collector families will be able to raise their standard of living by getting higher income under the development block.
• It is worth noting that under the Indagaon forest range minor forest produce, such as Mahua flower dried, Chironji kernels, pulses, Mahua seeds, lac etc. are found.
• Proposed processing units in Rural Enterprise Park Deobhog are Chironji processing, lac processing, pulses processing, neem, mahua and safflower oil processing, spice processing unit.
• Chhattisgarh State Industries Development Corporation Limited. The rural enterprise park will be set up by Raipur at a cost of Rs 7.42 crore. Secretary, Government of India, Rs 3.75 crore will be provided from Ministry of Food Processing Industries, New Delhi, Rs 2.00 crore from Rural Enterprise Park and the remaining Rs 1.67 crore from Chhattisgarh State Minor Forest Produce Federation, District Forest Produce Cooperative Federation and Vandhan Vikas Kendra.
• The project will prove to be a milestone for overall socio-economic development in Deobhog area and its adjoining areas, which have been devoid of any cottage industry, processing centre.
• This project can bring about a major change in the block by ensuring marketing of agro-forest produce across the country to make Chhattisgarh state Minor Forest Produce Association and Gariaband district's identity.