GUWAHATI: Northeast's first-ever specialised 'ginger' processing plant at district Ri-Bhoi in Meghalaya is likely to become functional in the beginning of 2021.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that the only Ginger Processing Plant of North East India was established around the year 2004 but has remained non-functional for many years.
The North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation Ltd. (NERAMAC) has now undertaken the responsibility of reviving it and initiated steps to operationaliae the closed plant through PPP mode, the minister added.
The plant located at the Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP), Raja Bhagan, Byrnihat Hatt will not only process ginger but also help in preparing products like waxed ginger, ginger paste, ginger powder, ginger flakes, ginger oil etc.
Singh said ginger has attained prominence in the recent months because of its reported properties as an immunity booster, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also referred to this recently.
The ginger products to be prepared from the unit, the minister said, will not only be available for domestic consumption but will also have a wider demand outside.
It will also fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for "Vocal for Local", he said.
According to the NERAMAC, the northeastern region produces about 4,50,000 tonnes of high-quality ginger every year but most of it is sold at a low price due to lack of processing and cold storage facilities. The plant in Meghalaya is expected to give the much-needed relief to the ginger growers.
On a other hand the Union Minister also announced that "Disability compensation" has been extended to all serving central government employees who get disabled in the line of duty and are retained in service in spite of such disablement.
Meanwhile, an order has been issued on January 1 that will particularly provide a huge relief to young central armed police force (CAPF) personnel of CRPF, BSF, CISF, etc since disability in performance of duties is generally reported in their case due to constraints of job requirement as well as hostile or difficult work environment.