Tiruvannamalai takes ‘fruity’ route to boost income

Plan to plant 4.5 lakh saplings of fruit-bearing trees

In a move to generate income for the villagers in Tiruvannamalai, the district administration will be planting over 4.5 lakh saplings of fruit bearing trees in villages across the district. In Jawadu Hills, there are plans to grow pepper and litchi to help the tribals.

There are a total of 860 village panchayats in Tiruvannamalai district. Till date the district administration has been planting saplings such as teak, neem and tamarind as part of the Massive Tree Plantation (MTP) programme. Last year 4.2 lakh saplings trees were planted.

This year, the district administration will be planting 4.5 lakh saplings of fruit bearing trees such as mango, guava, custard apple, amla and chikoos.

This initiative will be taken up under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

“We will be taking up plantation in more than two acres of land in the panchayats. We will dig bore wells for irrigation and construct a compound wall. The Self Help Groups (SHG) will be given the task of watering the trees and maintaining them. This will ensure good care to the trees,” said Collector K.S. Kandasamy.

Special purpose vehicle

A Special Purpose Vehicle will be formed to monitor plantation work. The district administration will provide help to SHGs to sell the produce.

“We are yet to arrive at the profit sharing ratio. As of now we are thinking of 10 percent for the panchayat and 90 percent for the SHGs,” said Loganayaki, project director, district rural development office.

Five sites

The administration has zeroed in on five sites including a few in Kalasapakkam and Vembakkam panchayats to start the scheme on a pilot basis. “In places like Jawadu Hills we will be introducing litchi and pepper. This will become a source of income for the tribals in the area,” said an official.