‘Kaaikari Paati’ commits to building self-reliant India through home gardening

COIMBATORE: One of the things that this 83-year-old woman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi would agree upon is that the pandemic has taught us all to be self-reliant.

With that hope, S Nanjammal, also known as, 'Kaaikari Paati' (vegetable grandma) from Poonga Nagar has urged the Prime Minister and all the Chief Ministers to develop home gardens in the villages to make it self-reliant.

She, who sells vegetables produced from her home garden, during a press meet here on Monday, said that her concept of growing five kinds of vegetables at the home garden has gained momentum as 37 families in her locality have adapted the idea.

Nanjammal's request was mailed by her son Bharthi Chinnasamy to Prime Minister's Office and all Chief Ministers. Saying that the residents, particularly in rural areas, would benefit from the home garden, she requested the governments and panchayats to encourage the same.

She explained, "A family could produce vegetables worth `100 per week. They shall save `6,000 on vegetable expenses each year. The government should undertake three tasks to make home vegetable farms successful across the country."

Nanjammal said the government must provide manure to the village of 50 families, and issue seeds and saplings to the households.
The five vegetables that shall be grown in the home garden are, Bharthi said, brinjal, curry leaves, thoodhuvalai keerai, bitter gourd, snake gourd.

According to Bharthi, who is also a writer, the project would strengthen the purchasing power of the villagers, and the domestic market shall also grow.  He said, "The government must utilise the MGNREGA workers to form home gardens and women self-help group gardens and village community gardens." Nanjammal is a native of Anaipalayam in Erode, currently resides in Poonga Nagar in Thoppampatti, Coimbatore.