Port Blair, Feb 10: The National SC ST Hub was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister in October, 2016 to achieve the mandate of Public Procurement Policy, 2012 and to promote entrepreneurship for scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) community. Accordingly, a special cell was created by Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) in National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC). One of the key focus of this programme is capacity building of SC-ST entrepreneurs. The ICAR- Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair has been always in the forefront of implementing reach out of processing technologies to tribal population of Andaman and Nicobar Islands under various government schemes. ICAR- CIARI, Port Blair has devised and implemented residential training on “Entrepreneurship Development Programme on Coconut Value addition for the Nicobari Tribal community” under the support of National SC/ST Hub scheme, Ministry of MSME, GOI from 04.02.2020 to 10.02.2020 at ICAR- CIARI, Port Blair. The training was inaugurated on 4th February 2020 at ICAR- CIARI complex. Dr. B. Augustine Jerard, Director, CIARI inaugurated the training and motivated the youths to drive maximum benefits from the training and startup a enterprise on their locality by availing financial benefits from the line departments such as industries/NABARD/MSME etc., and to generate employment opportunities to the unemployed youths of the respective villages. Mr. Chandramouli Assistant Director Br. MSME as Guest of Honour appreciated the efforts of CIARI to organize EDP programme, particularly on coconut which is the need of the hour and also further economy of the Islands he has elaborated the scope for export of value added products of coconuts from this Islands considering the vast potential for the same Dr. I. Jaisankar and Dr. V. Damodaran were the course coordinators for the programme. During the seven days long residential training programme, apart from different integrative sessions on coconut value addition, the trainees were exposed to industrial units on copra making, neera extraction, coir based industries, coconut shell craft units, VCO units, desiccated coconut milk powder, tender coconut water processing, coconut Ice cream making unit, coconut oil unit etc., to gain practical expertise on diversified value added products from coconuts. Further, trainees were given hand on training on fibre utilization, composting, VCO production and VCO based soap making during the course of training.
In the valedictory session, the trainees have given good feedback and expressed desire to commence entrepreneurship in coconut. Certificates were issued to the participants during the valedictory programme which was chaired by Dr. B. Augustine Jerard, Director CIARI. Dr. I. Jaisankar, Course Coordinator has presented a detailed report about the training and Dr. V. Damodaran, Course Coordinator proposed the vote of thanks.
