Mango saplings of West Bengal are keeping Birsa Harit Gram Yojna going for mangoes in Jharkhand. It costs Rs 50 to 60 per West Bengal mango sapling in Jharkhand which is a big drain on the state exchequer.
Again, many saplings get withered in the transit as for example Palamau which is around 600 kilometers away from Kolkata and the saplings are to bear the hazards of the national highway journey up-to Palamau district.
The state government has set a target of 1,000 acres here in this district where mango plantation along with timber wood is to be done.
112 saplings of mango are planted in one acre under this Birsa Harit Gram Yojna. This Yojna is covered under MGNREGA.
State convener of the MGNREGA Watch a body that keeps eyes on the MGNREGA schemes, James Herenj said that they are pressing the state government to raise its own nursery for the mango saplings, which will be cost effective and will generate employment among the rural men and women also.
Herenj said if Jharkhand starts raising a nursery of mango saplings it will cut the cost by half, which the state government is doling out.
DC Palamu Shashi Ranjan and DDC Megha Bhardwaj had a first hand view of the plantation of mango saplings in 6 acres of land at village Chando where six tribal families all Cheros are doing plantation of 672 mango saplings there.
