SAMBALPUR: In order to financially empower the members of women self-help groups (WSHGs), the district horticulture department has decided to impart training on vegetable and mushroom farming to them and provide subsidy for cultivation.
In the first phase, 220 WSHG members will be selected with the help of Women and Child Development and Mission Shakti for carrying out farming activities commercially.
The selected women will be imparted necessary training along with financial support, said Ranjan Kumar Dasmohapatra, Deputy Director of Horticulture.
The department will provide Rs 20,000 per hectare (ha) for vegetable cultivation and Rs 40,000 per unit for mushroom farming.
Nearly Rs 1 lakh is required to set up a mushroom production unit. The amount will be given to the growers after production.
As per the plan, 140 women will be engaged in vegetable cultivation and the rest 80 WSHG members will take up mushroom farming, he added.
Depending on the response and output, the project would be extended further. This apart, the department will provide marketing linkage for women farmers to sell their produce.
There is also a plan to set up cold storage of 5,000 tonne capacity at Bamra.
Work on Bamra project will begin after the facility at Goudpali village in Jujomura block becomes operational.
The department has also engaged local farmers for growing seasonal fruits at different times. In the ensuing kharif season, the department has decided to plant mango, guava, litchis and cashew trees across the district.
Earlier this year, the state government had announced interest-free loans of up to Rs 3 lakh for around six lakh WSHGs.