Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 29: The Dweep Sugandh – Sale Outlet was inaugurated today by the Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Dr. Chandra Bhushan Kumar, IAS, as the chief guest. Ms. Chanchal Yadav, IAS, Commissioner–cum-Secretary (Agriculture) was the special guest. Secretary (Agriculture), Ms. Pallavi Sarkar, IAS, Director (IP&T), Shri Vinayak Chamadia, IAS, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Shri Sandeep Behera, Ms. Priyanka Kumari, Director of Agriculture and Officials from Department of Agriculture, Rural Development and members of Self Help Group were present on the occasion. The inauguration marked an important step towards enhancing agri-marketing opportunities in the Islands and strengthening direct linkages between farmers, SHGs, entrepreneurs and consumers.
The Dweep Sugandh – Sale Outlet has been conceptualized and established by the Department of Agriculture, A&N Administration at Haddo as a common platform for showcasing products of Sagarika, Vatika, Self-Help Groups (SHGs), GI tagged products, and Tribal Produce. The outlet shall include spices, processed foods, handcrafted soaps, handicrafts made by local artisans and other value added products. This initiative seeks to ensure fair price realization for farmers, while simultaneously providing the people of the Islands with authentic, hygienic, and quality products at reasonable rates.
In his address, the Chief Secretary appreciated the efforts of the Department of Agriculture and expressed confidence that the initiative – Dweep Sugandh – Sale Outlet will serve as a vital platform for local farmers and would empower the farming community, generate livelihood opportunities, and strengthen the agriculture-based economy of the Islands. He further underlined the importance of promoting branding and value addition to Island produce to enhance the visibility and identity of the Islands at the national and global level.
The inauguration of Dweep Sugandh – Sale Outlet marks the A&N Administration’s steadfast commitment to strengthening the agriculture sector, while advancing its vision of boosting agriculture-based souvenir tourism in the Islands.
