Reviving ghost villages: Uttarakhand govt to train 10k youth in mushroom farming

The focus of the government would be the villages abandoned by its residents in the hills which are popularly known as 'ghost villages'.

The agriculture department of Uttarakhand government, in an initiative to curb migration from the villages of rural areas and boost the rural economy, is soon going to train youths in mushroom farming.

A mushroom grower in her mushroom farm in Uttarakhand. (HT Photo)

Under the initiative, the government will train people, especially those from migration-affected villages in the hilly areas, in mushroom farming. The focus of the government would be the villages abandoned by its residents in the hills which are popularly known as 'ghost villages'.

State agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal said that the initiative had been brought to "impart skills to the youth in mushroom farming using the houses abandoned since long."

"The move will greatly help in curbing the migration from our villages in the hilly areas and provide a source of livelihood to the youth who can earn a significant income by selling mushrooms," said Uniyal.

The minister said that as the "climatic conditions in the state's hilly areas are suitable for growing mushrooms, the initiative will help to boost the rural economy also."

"We have identified about 2,000 villages including the ghost villages where we would be training almost 10,000 youths in mushroom farming. Once trained, they would be able to grow various types of mushrooms and earn money," said Uniyal.

The minister added that "The department is also working on boosting the number and quality of mushroom spawns or seeds so as to promote them more."

Divya Rawat, an eminent mushroom grower in the state, popularly known as the mushroom girl of Uttarakhand, who has been also training people across the country in mushroom farming said, "It is a welcome move for the villages in our hilly areas."

"The initiative will surely help in curbing the migration which would in turn boost the economy. Once the economy gets going, fewer people would like to go out as they could get their livelihood at their native place itself," said Rawat.

She, however, said that the government should not just limit itself to just training the youths in mushroom cultivation.

"It should rather train them in all aspects of mushroom farming, then only it would succeed. If the training is right then mushrooms grown by not just 10,000 youths but 10 lakh youths would also fall short in market," she said.