Village empowerment programme at Khenjoi
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 01 2011:
"Project Turmeric" a pathfinder initiative, to empower locals, for generating a commercially viable, self employment venture has been undertaken by 22 GRENADIERS of 26 Sector Assam Rifles under the aegis of IGAR (South) in remote and isolated villages of Khenjoi block in Chandel District, Manipur.
The collective yearly produce of raw turmeric was being sold to middlemen at Bokkan in Myanmar at a throw away price of Rs 4/per kg, fetching the villagers a meager amount of about Rs 2000-2400/annually in the past.
To edify the villages on extraction of turmeric powder, raw turmeric was bought at Rs 10/per kg and villagers were educated regarding the process of conversion of raw turmeric into turmeric powder.
A part of the turmeric powder requirements of the units of the area are now being bought from the villages @ Rs 100/per kg resulting in 10 times increase in their annual income.
Additional income is also being generated for the village grinding shop at Rs 20/per kg for grinding raw turmeric.
The venture is growing into a potentially sustainable commercial enterprise for the future that will slowly but surely improve the socio-economic status of the locals.