Port Blair, July 11: UNNATI organized a meeting in Brindaban Panchayat on 11.07.2012 at 9 a.m for adopting Brindaban Panchayat by UNNATI in association with Directorate of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and Fisheries to provide employment opportunities through agriculture and allied activities on the request of Panchayat and villagers about 300 unemployed youths and farmers participated in the meeting.
Mr. Aziz Youth leader welcomed the gathering and said that he with other youths and Panchayat members requested President, UNNATI to adopt their Panchayat for undertaking agriculture and allied activities involving line department where the residents are economically poor.
They could not develop their plantation which were damaged in lost tsunami. Now they want to improve their economic condition through agriculture and allied activities for which the villagers showed much enthusiasm. They said they are interested to rear milch cattle, goatry, poultry, piggery, inland fish culture and floriculture for which they need financial and regular technical support.
Mr. C. Mohammed, President said that he is highly impressed the active interest showed by Panchayat and youths and the further said if same zeal and interest is continued then they can develop their villages and create an example for others. He said UNNATI is working for promotion of self employment through Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Group and Cooperative Institution considering the unemployment situation of our islands. Also deliberated on RTI and tobacco control and relevant book/ publicity materials handed over to Panchayat for explaining to members of Panchayat and villager. He also said breast cancer is very high and in India alone over 80000 new cases and diagnosed every year and over 40000 women die in India. Therefore screening and self examined should be conducted with the help of Directorate of health services who are doing good work these in the villages. He also urged Self Help Group to take initiative to educate women member and try to learn the technical from health departmentally.
As regard financial support for undertaking agriculture and allied activities UNNATI is implementing joint liability group scheme with the support of NABARD can be extended to need villagers for which they may contact UNNATI office, Pradhan and volunteers of
UNNATI working in villages. He also said that in A & N Islands there is shortage of land. Tsunami had further reduced cultivable land.
Therefore available land need to retained with Islanders. Sale permission should be given to sell land among recognized categories.
UNNATI took up this issue with Administration in 2000 and Administration accepted the proposal of UNNATI and necessary claim & objection were also invited in the daily telegram but due to the influence of vested interest the notification was not issued. The present Administrative set up is somewhat rigid in these days in giving sale permission but this is not going to going to work unless amendment in revenue rules in effected.
Dr. Shiv Kumar, Joint Director, Directorate of Animal Husbandry assured the UNNATI’S Joint Liability Group beneficiaries in purchasing milch cattle and also impart training. He also assured supply chicks, piglet, goats etc to interest poultry, goatary and piggery farmers under Joint Liability Group.
Mr. Chandrasheker, Assistant Director, Fisheries assured all support for inland fish farming in ponds constructed under MGNREGA and now lying unutilized. The Pradhan was requested to make out a list of ponds in Brindaban Panchayat and arrange to hand over to unemployed youths on lease basis after approval of concerned officials agencies or parties.
Miss Shelly Thomas, Agriculture Officer explained in details about agriculture schemes for the benefit of youth and farmers. She said earlier she tried to conduct meeting in Brindaban Panchayat but response was very poor and only 3 to 5 person attended in the meeting but now after seeing the enthusiasm and interest of villagers she is very happy and confident that the joint efforts of departments and UNNATI will definitely yield good result. She also assured training to the interested youth in floriculture.
Mr. Selvam, Representative of Thiruvelluvar Public School gave vote of thanks and expressed thanks to UNNATI and Directorate of Animal Husbandry, Agriculture and Fisheries for their whole hearted support and assurance for improving the economy of resident of Brindaban Panchayat through agriculture & allied activities. The way Joint Liability Group being implemented by UNNATI involving all concerned with the support of NABARD was appreciated by youths of Bindraban.
