There was a time when we were scared of earthworms, now these creatures have become our family: Urvashi and Sangeeta
03-Jun-2022
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Earthworms have become true 'Mitaan' of Women in Gitpahar
Women in Gitpahar are earning good income by selling earthworms and vermi compost
Earthworms play an important role in making the soil fertile, and hence, they are called friends to farmers. But who had known that these creepy crawlers can become the 'mitaan' of women and create an additional source of income for them. It sounds strange but it is true. Women in Gitpahar Gram Panchayat have befriended these tiny creatures to explore a whole new dimension of financial empowerment.
Resident of Gitpahar, Urvashi Jain had started practicing vermiculture at the local Gauthan around one and a half years ago, under Suraaji Gaon Yojana of Chief Minister Mr Bhupesh Baghel. And till date, Urvashi and her self-help group Saraswati Mahila Swa-Sahayta Samooh has sold nearly 7 quintals of earthworms worth Rs one lakh 37 thousand. Today, they have sufficient quantity of earthworms to meet the demand of farmers and other gauthans. Besides, they have also earned a profit of Rs one lakh 39 thousand by selling vermi compost.
Sangeeta Patel of village Jepra also has similar success story to tell. She too has sold 5 quintals of earthworms worth Rs 90 thousand in a span of one and a half years. She has also earned a profit of Rs 2 lakh by selling 40 quintals of vermi compost so far.
Both Urvashi and Sangeeta were provided earthworms by Agriculture Department. Both the beneficiaries created a favourable environment for vermiculture and in this way the quantity of earthworms multiplied. And today, not only the private traders but the Agriculture Department itself procures earthworms from Urvashi and Sangeeta.
