Karnataka - Bangalore   

A `green' way to self-employment

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, DEC. 28. Retired armed forces personnel need not think of becoming club secretaries or security men. A "green" way of being self-employed may be a possible option for many.

The Directorate of General Resettlement, Ministry of Defence, and the Sainik Welfare Department are now encouraging ex-servicemen go in to herbal farming. This is part of the Defence Ministry's "From Arms to Farms" programme. At a seminar held here on Monday, one of the herbs suggested was safed museli (Chlorophytum borivilianum), which has global demand.

The plant is rich in nutrients such as alkaloids, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, steroids, and polysaccharides.

A.N. Dubey, Director, Ministry of Defence, said, "safed museli is an ingredient in more than 100 Ayurvedic preparations. It is used in allopathic, homeopathic and unani medications. Cultivation of the herb gives higher returns than many other traditional crops."

Another plant that Dr. Dubey suggested was jatropha (Jatropha curcas) that has been promoted as a rich source of bio-diesel.

The tuberous roots of safed museli and jatropha would be provided through the Central Herbal Agro Marketing Federation, which is the country's biggest organisation of herbal farmers, at a concession to ex-servicemen interested in herbal farming. They would also be assisted in marketing the produce, he said.

Cultivation of others herbs such as stevia, colleus, annatto, manzium, kalmegh and ashwagandha, which have high medicinal values and give high returns, were also suggested.

The seminar was chaired by C.M. Uthaiah, director, Department of Sainik Welfare, Karnataka; Capt. P.S.P. Deva Raje Urs, joint director; and Lt. Col. V. Saraswathi, deputy director.

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