WSHG installs solar-powered dal mill in Lanjigarh

BHAWANIPATNA: In an attempt to help farmers get fair returns from their produce, a women-led self help group (SHG) installed a mini solar-powered dal mill in the remote and inaccessible Lanji village in Lanjigarh block of the district on Wednesday. The 2 hp mill set up at a cost of `3.56 lakh has the capacity to process one quintal dal per hour. President of the SHG Arati Sahu said,” We will purchase kandula (a local variety of pigeon pea or ‘harada’) at `45- `50 per kg from growers and sell at `75-`80 a kg after processing. The panchayatlevel SHG federation has agreed to provide working capital loan. Procurement will start in a fortnight.”

A promotional incentive of 40 per cent of the mill cost was given to the SHG. The latter paid `30,000 and will pay the remaining 60 per cent in interest-free installments. Arati added that ORMAS has assured to lend market support. Lanjigarh, particularly Musanal, Bengaon, Bijepur and Lanji, is a good kandula producing area.

But, due to absence of market linkage and other infrastructural support, farmers often sell the pulses at throwaway prices or in barter exchange for rice and salt. Formed in 2005, the 10-member group of Lanji village, under the name Ma Bhairavi, used to grow vegetables and mushrooms in a small patch of land. All group members are from families of marginal farmers.