Kerala - Thrissur   

Paddy farming on prison premises

Field work: Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran inaugurating ‘Punarjani' scheme at Viyyur Central Prison in Thrissur on Monday.

Thrissur: Promotion of agriculture will help mitigate the impact of climate change, Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran has said.

He was speaking after launching ‘Punarjani', the Paddy Mission's project to rejuvenate paddy farming in the fields of Viyyur Central Prison, here, on Tuesday.

In five acres

The Minister sowed paddy to mark the launch of the project, implemented in partnership with the Kerala Agricultural University. In the first phase, cultivation will be taken up in five acres of land in the jail compound.

Praising the virtues of agriculture, Mr. Ratnakaran said agriculture development would promote conditions favourable to peaceful living.

“We must fully utilise our potentials in agriculture production. Efforts should be made to conserve at least the remaining paddy fields in the State,” he said.

He urged the jail authorities to make the project a model for others. The Minister handed over the Agriculture Department's financial assistance to the jail officials. He promised all possible assistance from the State Paddy Mission and the Kerala Agricultural University for the new venture.

Addressing the function, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Alexander Jacob said that jails in the State had generated an income of Rs.2.18 crore from farming last year.

Self-sufficiency

“It is expected to reach Rs.3 crore in the current year. Some of the jails in the State have already achieved self-sufficiency in milk and vegetables,” he said.

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