In an attempt to transform people’s lives in economically backward districts and extremist affected areas like Khunti through cultivation of medicinal plant like 'Lemon Grass', a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed was between the District Administration and a non-government organisation (NGO)-Sewa Welfare Society to start cultivation of 'Lemon Grass' in One hundred acres of lands.
Under the joint initiative from the District Administration side on behalf of Khunti Deputy Commissioner, Shashi Ranjan, Khunti DDC, Arun Kumar Singh and from the NGO side its President Ajay Sharma signed on the MoU.
The District Administration and the NGO have identified the land where the cultivation of the medicinal plant will take place and it will start in one day or two.This is an initiative taken by Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) under National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM) to improve livelihood to rural masses.
Khunti District is one of the most economically backward districts of the State and in last some years the district has been notorious for extremist activities.
The district has been also epicentre of controversial 'Pathalgadi movement. Most of the farmers are not adopt modern agriculture method and irrigation facilty is also very few.
According to the MoU the cultivation of Lemon Grass will be started in one hundred acres of private land of the District.
On the first stage the cultivation of Lemon Grass will start in 40 acres of land and after sowing the seeds and growth of plants to some extent in these 40 acres lands, cultivation will start in the remaining 60 acres of lands. As per the MoU the District Administration will provide seeds and plants of Lemon Grass and the remaining work will be completed by the NGO. It will start in four blocks of the district-Arki, Murhu Karra and Torpa.
Sewa Welfare Society President Ajay Sharma informed that there are some youths who was wanting to do some work for improve livelihood of villagers as most of the people used to cultivate Opium crops because it takes less irrigation and care and give much more return but is last some years due to administrative pressure they facing to cultivate Opium.
In order to get replacement of Opium they want to start cultivation of Lemon Grass when they know that it also give good return in very less irrigation facility and care, he added.
"Around more than a hundred of farmers got online training from Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant, Lucknow after that Sewa Welfare Society also held a training programme for them so that they could know the benefit of cultivation of Lemon Grass. The NGO also organised an exposure visit to Namkum Block in Ranchi District for the farmers to show the cultivation of the medicinal plants," said Sharma.