Thanjavur: The 7 acre of ‘poramboke’ land in Kurunkulam East village in Thanjavur block which was lying barren till some three years ago has now turned into a green horticulture farm, thanks to the proper and wise implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREG) scheme, which has helped in providing both employment and asset creation.

The services of women and men from the village, who are enlisted under the MGNREG scheme, was used from the moment of the reclamation of the barren ‘poramboke’ land to its conversion to a garden.
In the 7 acres, hybrid fruit trees, including mango, guava, jackfruit and sapota, have been raised in 3.5 acre, while wood yielding trees, including teak and bamboo have been planted in the remaining land.

“The garden has provided a lung space for the village and increased the green cover, besides giving continuous employment to MGNREG scheme beneficiaries. Women water the plants, so the trees have been coming up well,” said Collector A Annadurai.

The survival rate will be high, unlike in other places where tree plantations dry up without yielding results, for want of water or proper maintenance, he added.

A bore-well has been sunk for water supply. Another unique feature in the garden is the nearly 30 beehives put up below the mango trees. Bees help in pollination, apart from providing honey.

Of the 1,213 trees planted in 2013-14, at least 737 trees have survived and they are now in fruit bearing stage, and there are nearly 2,000 teak and bamboo trees, Annadurai said.

“The idea is to create such gardens on government poramboke lands in one village in each block. There are 14 blocks in the district. Income from the garden when once the trees started yielding will go to the village panchayat,” said P Mantrachalam, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency.