PANAJI
Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik has made a strong case for youth to foray into agriculture so that fertile and productive khazan lands, currently lying fallow, are revived.He said, various schemes of the agriculture department now under his charge, can be availed to ensure production of Goa's traditional 'brown rice'.
Naik, who was speaking at an event to inaugurate the work of constructing a bhandara (check-dam) at Kundaim, said Goans traditionally consumed the healthier brown rice but switched to imported white rice giving rise to health issues including diabetes.
"There is a simple solution. We must cultivate fallow 'Khazan' lands and eat healthy brown rice to stay healthy and diabetes-free,” Naik said, adding that Goa's youth should consider working in the fields even after higher education as it will be lucrative.
Interestingly, the event saw Naik share dais with his long-time political adversary from Ponda taluka but now a cabinet colleague -- Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar.
The nearly one-kilometer-long 'bhandara' is being constructed at a cost of approximately Rs 2.5 crore funded by the agriculture department along the 'Chikhalpani Khazan' in Dharzo Wada of Kundaim within the jurisdiction of Madkaim constituency represented by Dhavalikar.
The bhandara is expected to cater to nearly 180 farmers in the area.
Dhavalikar, the Kundaim Sarpanch Survesh Gaude, ZP member Damodar Naik, Chikalpain Khajan Tenant Association President Vijesh Naik, other panchayat members and locals attended the function.
Dhavalikar publicly thanked Naik for sanctioning the funds for the bandhara work, which he said was pending for a long time.
"Ponda taluka has vast agricultural land and youth should cultivate it using agricultural machinery for tilling and harvesting," Dhavalikar said.
Agriculture Director Neville Alfonso, who was also present, cited breach of bhandaras, and encroachment by mangroves as major reasons why nearly 18,000 hectares of khazan land is fallow in many places.
Alfonso said, the agriculture department now has schemes which extend to up to 90 per cent subsidy, including seeds being provided for community farming.
