Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday inaugurated the planting of vegetables in the vegetable garden on the Secretariat campus.
The initiative, taken up under the Subhiksha Keralam programme, also marked the launch of the latest edition of the ‘Onathinoru Muram Pachchakkari’ programme.
In a bid to ensure food security during the COVID-19 lockdown period, the Agriculture Department had distributed 65 lakh seed packets to households in the State. Wednesday’s programme marks the second phase of this initiative, the Agriculture Department said on Wednesday.
Many families had kick-started vegetable cultivation in the first phase of the campaign launched in March.
However, the COVID-19 scenario in neighbouring States from where Kerala sources vegetables and fruits continues to be bleak. At the same time, the demand for vegetables and fruits shoots up in Kerala. The ‘Onathinoru Muram Pachchakkari’ campaign is meant to prevent shortages during the Onam season.
Agriculture Minister V. S. Sunil Kumar, Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran and Health Minister K. K. Shylaja, Agriculture director K. Vasuki and Agriculture Production Commissioner Ishita Roy were present.