Chhatrapur: The Ganjam administration has launched a mega plantation programme in the district as part of an initiative to provide livelihood to migrant returnees and villagers battling job loss due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The district administration through the programme aims at providing livelihood to 1,25,750 lakh migrant returnees and rural people. It aims at a plantation of 12.50 lakh coconut saplings in this coastal district.
A sum of Rs 2,143 has been sanctioned for plantation of each coconut sapling. This will lead to recovery and strengthening of the rural economy during the Covid pandemic, Collector Vijaya Amruta Kulange said.
“The programme to be expedited in this monsoon season will not only provide livelihood but also lead to a healthy environment in this coastal district.
The programme aims at creation of 1 crore man days through the rural job scheme,” said Sindhe Dattatreya Bhausaheb, project director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). On a daily basis, the district administration targets to create 2 lakh man days.
The programme is being implemented under the poverty alleviation and rural job scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS).
The programme is being implemented with the funds available under MGNEREGS and in active participation of the panchayati raj, soil conservation, and horticulture departments and the Odisha Livelihood Mission.
The concerned departments are monitoring the implementation of the programme at the grassroots level.
Notably, Ganjam district has achieved number one position after creating more than one crore man days within a short span of two months under the MGNREGS.
Stress is being laid on plantation of coconut saplings while plantation of other saplings is not ruled out. The programme will not only help people financially but also reduce the dependency of the district on other states for coconuts, sources in the district administration said.
This will also help people of the district get coconuts at a reasonable price.
PNN