Shillong, August 16: Dr Najma Heptulla, Hon’ble Governor of Manipur, today inaugurated the facility for mass production of orchids and a farmers’ hostel at Bioresources Park at Imphal East in the campus of Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), a National Institute of Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India.
She lauded this important initiative of IBSD to promote high value bioresources for the socio-economic development of the region and also IBSD in having created a model of sustainable development at its bioresources park in Manipur.
In his welcome address, Prof. Sahoo said this hi-tech facility will provide lakhs of cut orchid flowers per annum and will be a boon to farmers and unemployed youth of the entire North East. He said IBSD has already setup 10 such units in farmers’ fields and training has been imparted to over 750 unemployed youth and farmers.
Given the high unemployment in the region, he said biotechnology based enterprises is one of the best option for the socio-economic development of the North East region, as establishment of heavy industries will damage the environment.
Prof. Sahoo invited the people from all over the country to visit the National Bioresources Park, where state-of-the-art facilities have been created which include commercial orchid production facility, aromatic plant cultivation as well as a 50 bedded farmers’ hostel.
Sahoo said these initiatives are being launched in line with the national mission to double farmers’ income by 2022 and to showcase a model of sustainable development, which can be replicated in other parts of the country.
