With support of state, horti-tourism takes off in Jhargram

In a bid to attract tourists, horti-tourism has started in Jhargram under the guidance and support from the district horticulture department.

Diptendu Bera, director of horticulture, Kaushik Chakraborty, joint director of horticulture and Ms Tamasi Koley, district Horticulture officer, Jhargram visited the horti tourism project at Nakat village. The pilot project has started at Chetona farmstay, owned by Subhasis Debsingha.

Advertisement

A workshop was organised by the district horticulture department in September where the senior officials suggested that a horti tourism can be started in the district. Mr Densingha immediately responded and started the pilot project in his farmstay with support and guidance from the district horticulture department.

Jhargram is coming up fast as a tourist destination. There are state-run and private hotels, registered homestays and farmstays. It attracts tourists round the year.

After coming to power in 2011, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Jhargram to win the confidence of the local people and remove the fear from their minds. Jhargram was a Maoist base and tourism was badly hit. Infrastructure was improved and a super specialty hospital was set up. Local folk artists and artisans were given financial support.

Ms Koley, district horticulture officer said people can enjoy nature and visiting a horticulture farm like fruit orchard, vegetable garden is a lifetime experience. The department is giving assistance to the model project in Jhargram.

Sumit Dutta, founder of Jhargram tourism said horti tourism is an add-on USP of Jhargram and thanked the district horticulture department for taking such an initiative. The initiative is likely to attract both domestic and international tourists, he hoped.

Mr Debsingha said: “We have a fruit orchard, vegetable farm and a start-up food production unit. There is a livestock farm, paddy field,” he said, adding organic food and vegetables will be served to the guests commonly known as “ farm to table dining.”