Page 54 - Mann Ki Baat, October 2022
P. 54

Tripura’s Bio-Village 2.0: Integration of

        Sustainable Development & Climate Adaptation



            Answering     the    Prime     solar-powered   electrical  and
        Minister’s clarion call to promote   agricultural  equipment,  biomass
        a lifestyle that does not harm the   stoves, biogas plants, biofertilizers
        environment, a village in Tripura   are supporting climate mitigation
        has come up with a unique          at the local level. Similarly,
        initiative, Bio-Village 2.0, that   components    like   provision
        minimizes the damages caused       of improved livestock breed,
        by  natural  disasters  and  have   promotion of beekeeping and
        helped the villagers to lead a     temperature tolerant mushroom
        sustainable life.                  cultivation are ensuring a better
            Our   Doordarshan     team     adaptation to the changing
        talked to the villagers of Daspara   climate.                                  biofertilizers for cultivation, and   gas connection, I feel my life has
        in Tripura to know more about          Sefal Das of Daspara village            chicks and ducklings for poultry   become much easier and more
        this initiative.                   says, “Two years back, there was            purposes. Such facilities have     developed, as I have no tension
            While a Bio-Village primarily   no source of income here. But              brought solvency to my family.”    of purchasing gas cylinders from
        promotes    organic    farming,    we found a new light of hope.                   The advent of the concept      outside the village. I offer my
        the main objective of the Bio-     Sixty-four families in this locality        of bio-village in Daspara has      gratitude to the Prime Minister for
        Village 2.0 project is to support   received several facilities from the       made  the  village  self-sufficient   such facilities in the village,” says
        sustainable       development,     Biotechnology Department which              and has made living and earning    Surobala Das of Daspara village.
        climate change mitigation, and     have been quite beneficial for us.          livelihood easier for the villagers.   Tripura’s Bio-Village 2.0 has
        climate  adaptation.  Usage  of    We got solar lights and pumps,              About 500 households have          recognised the needs of the people
        greener technologies such as       mushroom spawn, saplings and                benefited   from   this   project.   and has accordingly provided
                                                                                       There  has  been  an approximate   innovative,     climate-friendly
                                                                                       increase of Rs. 5,500 in the monthly   solutions (focusing on climate
                                                                                       income  of  the  beneficiaries,  per   mitigation and adaptation) to
                                                                                       month per household. Village-      address those needs, besides
                                                                                       dweller  Dipankar Datta says, “I   improving the quality of life for
                                                                                       have 12 solar pumps. Now, I am     the rural community. Talking to
                                                                                       able to utilize my pond water      AIR News, Anjan Sengupta, Senior
                                                                                       for cultivation.” Dipankar added   Scientific  Officer  of  Department
                                                                                       that the women of the village are   of Biotechnology, Government
                                                                                       also involved in economically-     of   Tripura,  said,   “Hon’ble
                                                                                       profitable  jobs  like  selling  eggs,   Prime Minister emphasized on
                                                                                       which was not the case previously.  Bio-Village activities and its
                                                                                           Apart from facilities like solar   achievements in his ‘Mann ki
                                                                                       street lights and pumps, the       Baat’ programme. This will further
                                                                                       Daspara Bio-Village has also       encourage and inspire our team
                                                                                       transitioned towards cleaner fuel   to work on it for its substantial
                                                                                       for  cooking.  “After  getting  (bio)   and sustainable development.”

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