TIRUPATTUR: More people are taking up terrace and vegetable gardens in the district as the Horticultrure deparment is providing plant saplings and seeds at subsidized rates.
The horticulture department, under Chief Minister's Uttam Tharum Kaikari Thottam scheme, provides kits for terrace gardens or home gardens in urban areas, vegetable garden in rural areas, and provides 8 vareities of saplings for nutrititious plants such as Aloe vera and gooseoberry among others.
Deputy Director (Horticulture) at Tirupathur AG Fathima told The New Indian Express that the scheme is received well by the public. "For home garden kit we used to provide 5 - 6 saplings, now we give 12 kinds of saplings. More than 800 people have registered online for buying saplings last year but we could only provide to 500 persons. This year we are providing to those who were left out in priority," she added.
In the home garden kit brinjal, tomato, chilli, beans, ladies finger seeds along with fertilizers, tools and a guide is provided. While the total cost of the kit is Rs 900 it is sold for just Rs 225 with 75 per cent government subsidy, according to a pressnote. Last year 500 families were provided with terrace garden kits, the pressnote added.
Fathima said that the horticulture department introduced the nutrititious plant kit during the pandemic when there is a need for nutritious food and improved immunity.
In the nutrititious plants kit, papaya, lemon, drumstick, aloe vera, mint, mexian mint (karpooravalli), curry leaves, and pepper were provided to the people for the price of Rs 25, with 75 per cent subsidized rate. 4,000 nutrititious plants kits were provided last year.
In rural areas, vegetable garden kits were provided with 75 per cent government subsidies to help make locals attain self-sufficiency in their vegetable needs and to improve the organic vegetable cultivation. 2,238 families in the district were provided with vegetable garden kits at Rs 15. Totally 6,738 kits were provided in Tirupattur district.