CM inaugurates Organic Movement

KOCHI: Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday inaugurated the “Zero and Safe-to-Eat Vegetables”, a project initiated by the district administration. “Kerala is lagging  behind in the field of agricultural development, with high dependence on the other states for vegetables, fruits, milk products and eggs. It is high time we seriously considered ways to develop and sustain the agricultural sector in the state. The union government has expressed its interest in aiding the state for such projects. More such projects which will ensure the abundance of healthy and organic vegetables, have to be considered,” he said.The Centre has given its nod to implement the Attappadi scheme in Palakkad, which will boost the growth of the agricultural sector in the area, said Oommen Chandy.  A sum of `163 crore has been earmarked for the project, he added. Vegetable cultivation in selected panchayats in Munnar is yet another project of the state govt which has received the Centre’s nod. “We have selected the panchayats that have the potential to reap the maximum benefits,” he said. The CM lauded the State Horticulture Mission and the District Agricultural Society (DAS) for their efforts and insisted on the development of projects akin to the one that was launched here on Monday. “New schemes which are being proposed by the government should not remain on paper but should be put into practice and we are striving for that,” he added.The “Zero and Safe-to-Eat Vegetables”, which is running successfully in Thiruvananthapuram, is being carried out by the DAS in conjunction with the Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Kerala and the apex councils of the residents associations. As part of the project, 12,500 families having at least 150 square feet space on their terraces will be given about 2,50,000 seedlings. Awareness campaigns will be conducted on the sustainable cultivation of vegetables on the terraces. The total cost per household will be `1,600 of which DAS will contribute `800.