Our Correspondent
Imphal, Oct. 20 (EMN): Manipur Health and family Welfare Minister Langpoklakpam Jayantakumar Singh on Sunday distributed citronella saplings to the farmers of four districts.
Citronella, also locally known as "Houna" is a plant with high medicinal and aromatic value.
The saplings were distributed free of cost under the aegis of Manipur State Medicinal Plant Board.
Speaking at the distribution programme at Uchekon Changangei in Manipur’s Imphal west district, the minister said that the distribution of the saplings was taken up in phase-wise./
Five districts namely Kangpokpi, Chandel, Thoubal and Imphal west were selected for the first phase. The remaining districts will be covered in the next phase, he informed.
The saplings were brought from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, 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 to the farmers, he said.
Informing that marketing facilities of the product will also be arranged by the government, he said, for this purpose, outlets are opened in all districts.
The minister also mentioned that distillation plant for citronella will be installed in Manipur by Indian council of agricultural research centre in Imphal in the month of December.
He appealed the progressive farmers to be enthusiastic and promote the growth of the plant.
Chief Executive Officer A Guneshor Sharma of Manipur Medicinal Plant Board said that citronella plant can be used for manufacturing white phenol, mosquito repellant, antiseptic, antifungal and other purposes.
