Radha Mohan Singh inaugurates Syngenta's Modern Krishi Mandi at Areraj

Motihari (Bihar) [India], September 24 (ANI/BusinessWire India): The Member of Parliament and Former Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh, inaugurated the Modern Krishi Mandi equipped with Solar Lights and drinking water facilities dedicating it to the people of Areraj, Motihari under Syngenta's unique I-CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness & New Habits) initiative started from East Champaran in 2014.
The Mandi is equipped with 9 sheds, 6 solar lights, 6570 sq ft paver soling and a borewell for drinking water which will benefit Areraj town and surrounding 12 to 15 villages. Around 250 vendors and the local community also stand to gain from this market infrastructure.
The newly created mandi comes with multiple benefits for the community. Clean and hygienic market place for improved health conditions of the vendors, extended business hours due to solar lighting facility, more number of vendors to use the market for selling vegetables, grocery etc., increase income of the vendors and a modern market to help the local economy flourish.
Apart from providing direct market access to the farmers, I-CLEAN also champions Swachh Bharat (Clean India) Campaign and Doubling Farmers Income by 2022, the two major initiatives launched by the Prime Minister. This program also complements the Government of India's (GrAMs to Haat) Yojana for modernization and development of infrastructure.
Lauding the initiative of Syngenta, Radha Mohan Singh highlighted the significance of Clean India Mission call given by the Prime Minister and asked farmers and villagers to religiously follow the values inherent in Cleanliness. "Cleanliness breeds a healthy mind and ensures happiness which is key to the honest labour that we put into our work. It also keeps dirt and diseases at bay and allows us to constructively engage ourselves in our vocations."
"I compliment Syngenta for choosing these very remote villages in Bihar for undertaking their CSR activities and, despite the restricted movement because of the Corona Pandemic, Syngenta completed the project in record time. It demonstrates their commitment towards the farmers, and I sincerely hope it inspires others to undertake similar social work." he added.
"Our commitment to the farmers is enduring. We are pleased to be getting this opportunity to serve farmers and their families in villages of Bihar through our I-CLEAN initiative. The Mandi will provide a permanent shed to farmers to sell their produce. The area has also been provided with solar lights to ensure that the market goes on till evening even after the sunset. Drinking water facility has also been created in the market area," said Dr K C Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India.
"I sincerely hope this intervention will bring about a qualitative change in the lives of farmers here", Dr Ravi further added. He requested the local community to take good care of the offered facility.
Syngenta has gone beyond merely constructing toilets under the "Clean India Mission"- a campaign announced by the Prime Minister to support cleanliness and building toilets to stop open defecation and has taken the responsibility to upgrade the vegetable markets in remote areas.
The Inaugural Ceremony was attended by Pramod Kumar, Minister of Art, Culture and Youth Department, Government of Bihar; Mahanth Shri Ravishankar Giri, Raju Tiwari, MLA, Areraj; Kaushlendra, Managing Trustee, Kaushalya Foundation and more than 150 farmers from neighbouring villages and complete social distancing was maintained in the entire programme.
Syngenta launched I-CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness & New Habits) project as part of its CSR initiative in 2014 to provide primary infrastructure such as adequate shelter for vendors, basic sanitation facilities, potable drinking water, electricity, clean and hygienic surroundings to the rural mandis.
Through I-CLEAN, Syngenta has been transforming Mandis' into "Economically, Socially and Physically Sustainable spaces", or smart village hubs "to trigger overall development in the surrounding areas." Under the I-CLEAN initiative, Syngenta upgrades rural vegetable markets (mandis) by providing sheds, raised platforms, solar lamps, drinking water facilities, and separate toilet blocks for men and women.
Thus, offering farmers a clean and hygienic place to come and sell their produce. Since 2014 Syngenta has upgraded 19 mandis in Bihar, and this intervention has benefitted more than 200 villages and has touched the lives of 200000 villagers across Bihar.
This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India)