Health minister distributes 20,000 citronella saplings to farmers of four districts
Source: IT News
Imphal, October 20 2019:
Health & family Welfare
Minister L.Jayantakumar
Singh has distributed
Citronella saplings to the
farmers of four different
districts today.
Citronella
plants are also known as Houna
in local name.
Citronella/Houna
is a kind of plant with high
medicinal and aromatic value.
It is also costly at the local and
international market.
The
saplings were distributed to
the farmers at free of cost.
Speaking at the sapling
distribution programme held at
Uchekon Changangei, Imphal
West, Minister Jayantakumar
maintained that the distribution
of citronella saplings is taken
up as first phase for five
selected districts i.e.
Kangpokpi, Chandel, Thoubal
and Imphal West.
The
remaining districts will be
covered in the next phase.
He
said that the saplings are being
distributed under the aegis of
Manipur State Medicinal Plant Board.
The saplings have
been brought from the
Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research, CSIR,
Jorhat, Assam in
consultation with the expert
and scientists of CSIR with
the objective of wide
cultivation of citronella in the
state.
Cultivation of this plant
will help the growers to
generate their income upto
some extend, he added.
Minister Jayantakumar
maintained that marketing
facilities of the product will
also be arranged by the
government.
For this
purpose, outlets have been opened in all districts.
Minister also said that
Distillation plant for citronella
will be installed in Manipur by
ICAR in the month of
December.
Minister also
appealed the progressive
farmers to be enthusiastic and
promote the growth of this
plant.
Speaking at the occasion CEO,
Manipur Medicinal Plant
Board, A.Guneshor Sharma
said that citronella plant can
be used for manufacturing
white phenol, mosquito
repellant, antiseptic cream/
ointment, antifungal
purposes etc.