A cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Friday decided to constitute a State Mahua Board in Chhattisgarh to promote the collection, value addition, processing and utilization of Mahua.
Mahua trees are found in abundance in Chhattisgarh. Mahua flowers are not only edible but have medicinal properties as well. Its seeds are a good source of healthy fats.
An official communiqué said that considering the abundant availability and uses of Mahua, and Mahua being the main source of livelihood for people in forest areas, it was necessary to pay special attention to its production, collection, processing and value addition.
Promoting the processing of Mahua was important as it would further pave the path for establishment of biodiesel or ethanol production units. To attain these objectives, the State Mahua Board has been established, it said.
The cabinet also gave the nod to the announcement by the Chief Minister at the "Nagriya Nikaay Evam Panchayati Raj Mahasammelan" organized in Govindpur, Kanker.
The Chief Minister had announced restoring the old pension scheme in place of the contributory pension scheme for the officers and employees of the Chhattisgarh state power companies who were appointed on or after January 1, 2004. About 10,000 officers and employees these companies will benefit from this decision.