Bhubaneswar: June 19: Mayurbhanj district was chosen as the best district of the state in adopting innovation and best practices while Nabarangpur and Khurda have ranked second and third positions respectively. As announced in the first day of collectors’ conference, government gave away cash awards to these districts. Mayurbhanj received Rs.25 lakh for adding value to fruit cultivation while Nabarangpur district was awarded with Rs.15 lakh for its campaign against superstition and Khurda received 10 lakh for eye care for all. The amount given to state as cash award will be spent on further development of practices, said Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi.
Notably, Mayurbhanj farmers have been producing fruits like mango, litchi and cashew, but due to lack of adequate marketing ability farmers had been suffering and middlemen were buying the fruits at a very low price. The administration helped farmers to form a society, the Mayurbhanj Fruit and Vegetable Producers company, through which the farmers are getting good return now. In 2016, the company has exported 50 matric tonne of mango to Mother dairy fruit and vegetable private ltd.
Nararangpur district administration started a campaign Jyoti to aware people against superstitions like hot iron branding and cauterization. To curb the activities, the district administration has prepared campaign materials in local dialects and organized massive campaigns in the areas through asocial health activists and anganwadis. Also it identified around 4500 traditional healers and they were asked to sign an undertaking pledging not to continue with such practices.
In Khurda, the administration started a successful eye care awareness drive through teachers, social health activists and anganwadis.
