Kendrapara: Kusunpur village under Rajnagar block of Kendrapada district, long plagued by saline water intrusion, water scarcity and low agricultural productivity, has been selected as Odisha’s only village under the Smart Village programme.
The initiative, implemented by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), aims to address rural challenges through scientific interventions and sustainable livelihood opportunities. Kusunpur is among five villages selected in the first phase of the project, alongside villages in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Gujarat and Ladakh. Another village in Odisha, Kalarabanka in Cuttack district, is expected to be included in the next phase.
Launched in March, the project focuses on providing long-term solutions to rural problems through science-driven development. Kusunpur was chosen because of its unique geographical challenges, including acute irrigation water shortages during summer, saline waterlogging during the monsoon and saline groundwater. These conditions have limited farming largely to low-yield paddy and green gram cultivation.
As part of the programme, the Lucknow-based -Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP) has introduced aromatic crop cultivation in the village for the first time. Farmers have successfully cultivated mentha on two acres and lemongrass on one acre, creating new opportunities to enhance farm incomes.
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To promote women’s entrepreneurship, a workshop involving four self-help groups was held on Monday. About 60 women received training in extracting essential oils from aromatic crops and manufacturing value-added products such as toilet cleaners, dishwashing liquids and floor cleaners infused with pine and lemon fragrances.
Kendrapada Collector Raghuram R. Iyer said the Smart Village initiative would contribute to the vision of a developed India while empowering rural women through sustainable livelihood opportunities. He expressed hope that Kusunpur would emerge as a model village for the district.
