Latest news with #MukhyamantriNeeraSamvardhanYojana
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
BAU launches Neera with long shelf life, developed by its scientist
1 2 3 4 5 6 Bhagalpur: The Bihar Agricultural University (BAU), Sabour, scientists have achieved a milestone by developing 'Asian Palmyra Palm' product 'Neera' that has extended shelf life. BAU vice chancellor, D R Singh, on Wednesday inaugurated a Neera processing plant at the university's horticulture garden that manufactures the packed product available for commercial sale to consumers. The new value-added Neera has high nutritional value, a nearly neutral pH, and acts as a thirst quencher with natural vitamins, sugar, and other health-beneficial nutrients, serving as a healthy alternative to chemical-based soft drinks. The VC said with the state of the art processing plant, the first of its kind in the entire region, would manufacture the Neera drink that would be marketed and sold in cans with a shelf life of six months Lauding the efforts of BAU scientists—Ahmar Aftab, Wasim Siddiqui, Shamsher Ahmad and Vivek Kumar—who played crucial roles in developing the Neera preservation technology, the VC said liquid collected from palm tree ferments rapidly after sunrise due to rising temperatures and converts into toddy, an alcoholic beverage that has 4% alcohol content. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trading CFD dengan Teknologi dan Kecepatan Lebih Baik IC Markets Mendaftar Following the ban on alcoholic beverages in Bihar, the fermented toddy is also prohibited, impacting the livelihood of the tappers. The VC added that they envisaged a plan and worked tirelessly to address the livelihood issues facing the toddy tappers and to improve their lives. The BAU scientists designed and patented a Neera collection box and polybag to collect good quality and hygienic liquid for processing and packaging in drinking cans. This innovative step replaced traditional earthen pots (labni in common parlance), which led to immediate fermentation. The BAU's processing lines are open for stakeholders in the community, allowing them to utilise these facilities for processing various food products at nominal charges. The VC added that the university and the scientists are committed to improving the livelihood of toddy tappers and sellers through its support under the Mukhyamantri Neera Samvardhan Yojana (MMNSY) of the state govt. An official said the production capacity of the unit is 60,000 litres per annum. Neera will be packed in 200 ml aluminium cans. The sale of Neera will generating a revenue of Rs 1.35 lakh per annum. The profit will be shared by BAU and the stakeholders in the ratio of 25:75 per cent, respectively. Senior scientist and associate professor Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui has also developed a technology to prepare Neera powder, which can be mixed with water to resemble fresh drink. The VC added that this further enables Neera enjoyable throughout the year. The MMNSY is jointly implemented by the prohibition, excise and registration department and Jeevika.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Two lakh palm trees identified for Neera production in Bihar
Under the 'Mukhyamantri Neera Samvardhan Yojana' (Chief Minister's Neera Promotion Scheme) launched on April 30, Bihar government has planned to provide employment and financial assistance to palm tree owners and toddy tappers (person who extracts Neera - unfermented palm sap drink). The scheme has been implemented for the toddy season from April to July this year with the joint initiative of Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department and Jeevika, the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society. An incentive amount will be given to 20,000 toddy tappers at the rate of ₹8 per litre of Neera produced directly to their bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). Two lakh palm trees have been identified for Neera production in Bihar. Leader of the Opposition and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav had earlier promised to make changes to the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 by keeping toddy out of its ambit. People engaged in toddy tapping belong to the Pasi (Dalit) community and it is their only source of income. Failed venture After total prohibition was announced in April 2016, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had said that Neera would be processed into a health drink and marketed across the State. However, the initiative failed to make a mark in the open market and several Neera kiosks were shut down. Under the Prohibition Act, the toddy (Taadi) is banned and the government has made alternative arrangements for the people involved in its production and sale. The State government is continuously promoting Neera, the palm juice tapped fresh before sunrise. The same juice turns toddy after fermentation. The highest number of toddy tappers and palm trees in the State have been identified in Nalanda, Gaya, Muzaffarpur and Vaishali districts. After verification of the tapper through Jeevika, the license is issued by the Prohibition, Excise and Registration Department. To promote the production of Neera, palm tree owners will be given an additional incentive amount for a maximum of 10 trees at the rate of ₹3 per litre of Neera produced . In this, an incentive amount of ₹5,850 will be paid to the palm tree owner for the ownership and tapping of a maximum of ten trees at the rate of ₹585 per tree. Under the scheme, on tapping 10 trees, the tappers will get ₹15,600 and the owner of 10 palm trees will get an incentive of ₹5,850 directly from the Jeevika group in their bank account through DBT. A proportional incentive amount will be payable for less than 10 palm trees. At the same time, the tappers will also be given a separate amount of ₹30 per tree for marking the palm tree. Most of the Neera sales centres are established in Nalanda district. Explaining its benefits, a senior official of the Prohibition department on Thursday said, 'Neera is very beneficial for health and that's the reason the State government is promoting it. Minerals like calcium, iron, potassium, sodium and phosphorus are found in abundance in Neera. Also, the antioxidants present in it strengthen the body's immune system. It is a natural probiotic and helps in increasing hemoglobin.'
