Bhubaneswar, 08: Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo today flagged off a Ratha (campaign vehicle) for promotion of the roof top gardening in the city.
It is funded under State Plan Scheme – Innovative Projects for Promotion of Urban Horticulture being implemented by Central Horticultural Experiment Station (ICAR-IIHR), Bhubaneswar.
Singh Deo said that, with fast growth and development in the State, the urban areas are growing across the State with construction of numerous concrete buildings with reducing green spaces in cities.
Through this novel effort the Government is encouraging greenery through rooftop and home gardening by educating and training the city dwellers in residential and institutional buildings by promoting the innovative technologies for rooftop and home gardening across the five major cities of Odisha viz. Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Berhampur and Jeypore.
The government is taking all efforts to increase greenery in cities by promoting parks and plantations. To further the vision of Government of Odisha for creating awareness among city dwellers for sustainable healthy urban living and creating congenial urban environment in major cities of Odisha by reducing urban heat island effect, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment has funded a project on Innovative technological interventions for rooftop gardening, peri-urban and urban horticulture for aesthetics, nutrition, and healthy environment in selected cities of Odisha, to be implemented by Central Horticultural Experiment Station (ICAR-IIHR), Bhubaneswar.
The Campaign Vehicle will operate across various urban zones of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack for over a month-long awareness drive, reaching out to residential communities, educational institutions, Resident Welfare Associations, other city-based organizations and general public. The objective is to sensitize urban citizens on the importance, techniques and benefits of rooftop and home gardening and urban horticulture, in alignment with the state’s vision for sustainable urban living and food security.
The vehicle is equipped with audio-visual educational materials in Odia and English, demonstration of innovative and technical exhibits, distribution technical pamphlets, and arrangements for organising interaction points for city citizens to discuss and seek expert advice.
The campaign vehicle will follow a pre-planned route covering major localities in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack and later to other major cities of Odisha. This campaign will promote rooftop and home gardening, future community engagement events, expert talks, and encourage the city gardeners to participate in annual rooftop gardening competitions in near future.
The Department encourages all citizens, institutions, and community groups to participate actively and contribute to greener cities across Odisha. Director Agriculture & Food Production Shri Subham Saxena, Additional Secretary Shri Shubhranshu Mishra and other senior officers were present at the launching event.
