Bay leaf also known as sweet laurel leaf is a dried leaf or evergreen shrub that belongs to the family of “Lauracea” and whose botanical name is “laurus Nobilis L”. Bay leaf is indigenous to Asia. In India, bay leaves are popularly known as “Tej Patta” in hindi and mainly used as culinary herb. It works as a flavouring agent especially in biryani, Soups, meats, stews and sauces. Apart from culinary use, the oil extracted from the bay leaves are used for many medicinal purposes.

These trees require full sunlight .They grow well in warm and moist climates. Bay leaves grow well in fertile well drained soils with good organic matter. They thrive best in the soils with PH of 6.0 to 8.0. Jalpaiguri district has ideal condition for growing bay leaves. Keeping this in mind the District Administration decided to promote bay leaf cultivation in Jalpaiguri. To start with nurseries were raised through grafting method in convergence with Horticulture department. 32SHGs were selected for raising nurseries. Two phase training was provided to the SHG members, first class room training and secondly hands on training at district Horticulture Farm, Mohitnagar.

In addition bay leaf saplings were also supplied from National Horticulture Mission and some were also locally purchased.

It was decided that Plantation of these bay leaf Plants will be done in the land of individual beneficiaries who posses land. In 01 bigha of land 83 bay leaf saplings can be planted. Accordingly beneficiaries were selected who possess ½ bigha to 01 bigha land.

Banana plays an important role in the nutrition of people in poor regions of the world. They are a high yielding source of dietary carbohydrates and are rich in a number of vitamins and important minerals. Bananas are also attractive to small farmers. Their perennial natures reduce production costs and are a vital component of poor people’s diets. As a result, banana consumption in developing countries is steadily increasing.

Cultivation of Tissue Culture Banana is permitted activity under MGNREGA. Keeping this is mind the District Administration decided to plant Tissue Culture Banana in Jalpaiguri as a source of livelihood to the people of Jalpaiguri. The schemes were started in convergence with National Horticulture Mission. Saplings were supplied under National Horticulture Mission. All other inputs like labour, fertilizers and pesticides were supplied under MGNREGA. Approximately 400 saplings were planted per bigha. This scheme was implemented under individual benefit scheme. In 2015-16 financial years the plantation of Tissue was carried out in the district as mentioned below:-

It is expected that within one year the plants will bear banana. Expected income from each banana plant is Rs. 300/- per year by selling only banana. In addition the farmers can earn a further amount of Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 per plant by selling the by-products like plantain flower.

It is now planned that each tissue culture banana orchard will be provided vermi compost, so that the compost produced may be used in the orchard itself which will reduce input cost and any excess compost so produced may enhance financial security.

The nature has given all its beauty in and around the areas of Jalpaiguri leaving it for us to explore it and enjoy it. This narrow stretch of land lying between the Sikkim - Darjeeling Himalayas and Gangetic West Bengal has more than often evoked a sense of eerie and romanticism in many a heart since the early British Rule..

The administration took up the responsibility of identifying & exploring such areas by offerings leisure, adventure & amusement to make it enjoyable to the nature loving tourists. Not only places like Lataguri, Murti, Chapramari, Gorumara attracts Tourists, the same is also true for Laligourus, Samsing, Paschim Damdim. These places were identified and developed during the financial year 2015-16. To strengthen & improve the communication to and attraction of the places various schemes like construction of all-weather Road, plantation, Cannel construction, Beautification of Pond, landscaping etc. were taken up in convergence with the Mahatma Gandhi NREGS. A total 6 nos. of schemes were completed in previous year and were proved to be a new destination for the nature lovers.

These developmental works has not only changed the entire scenario of the tourisms sector but has also given an opportunity for sustainable livelihood to the local villagers who mostly belongs to the scheduled tribe category. This has brought down the illegal trafficking of women that once gripped the area.

Explaining the success in the terms of employment generation under Mahatma Gandhi NREGA it needs to be mentioned that while developing the areas of tourist interest, the wage seekers under Mahatma Gandhi NREGS created around 15 thousand persondays in the entire district expending about Rs. 40 lakh on un-skilled wages.

Jalpaiguri District is situated in the foothills of Eastern Himalayas. Due to its geographical location the entire topography is crisscrossed with rivulets, rivers and hills. The rivulets divide one hamlet from the other which causes huge problems to the people of the district. Jalpaiguri is primarily rural with more than 80% rural population. Of the geographical area in Jalpaiguri roughly 1/3 is forest, 1/3 is under Tea Gardens and 1/3 is agricultural and homestead land. As a result the habitations are thick and wide because of this geographical constraint Students have to take long distance to reach schools. Similarly people have to take long distance to reach hospitals in case of emergency. Farmers have to take long distance to take their produce to market

The District Administration in consultation with stakeholders that is local village people decided to address the issue by adopting two pronged strategy:- i)To address these issues through construction of Hume Pipe Culvert, RCC Box Culvert, Vented cause way etc. in the district in convergence with other funds like 3rd SFC, 14th FC etc. and ii) By constructing cement concrete road in convergence with other funds like 3rd SFC, 14th FC etc.

1) Construction of CC Road: - Development of rural roads brings multiple socio-economic benefits to the rural areas which form a strong base of the National economy and it is a powerful instrument for socio-economic transformation of the villages. Awareness of these benefits and their evaluation plays a pivotal role for providing all weather rural roads. The quickly visible benefits are increased mobility, increase productivity, saving in cost of transformation of man and material and speedier flow of commodities, beside changes in the life style.

Due to inaccessible areas the people of Jalpaiguri lived in isolation. The main causality of poor road connectivity is girl’s education. It leads to high dropout, child marriage, early pregnancy, anaemia, mal-nourished child etc. Because of construction of roads not only the village students find it easier to go their place of education, but it also attracts good and efficient teaching staff to these areas.

To address these issues the District Administration decided to construct all weather cement concrete roads. The roads so constructed are of mainly 3mt width. This enables plying of small vehicles as also ambulance. The students are able to cycle their way to school which reduces travel time as also dropout. Distribution of cycle to all students by the State Govt. under “SABUJ SATHI” programme has also helped in this.

2) Hume Pipe Culvert, RCC Box Culvert, Vented cause way:-

Considering the geographical location & flow of the river during the floods including the breadth of rivulets different types of Culverts have been constructed in the district like open foundation culvert, RCC Spun pipe culvert, Vented Cause way etc to protect the villages and the standing crops. It needs to be mentioned here that for the last two years the culverts have not only being protecting lives and livelihood but has also stood as an example for rest of the district.

It is hoped that these culverts will not only connect hamlets but also will enhance people to people cooperation and herald economic liberty to the people.

Synopsis of the culverts constructed is given below:-

Samsing, a beautiful area in the lap of nature, falling under the Matialihat GP is famous for its Oranges. To explore the natural resources available there the Gram Panchayat took up scheme of plantation of orange at Laliguras under the Samsing Tea Estate. The scheme is taken up in convergence with the National Horticulture Mission contributing Rs. 1,18,800/- only. On successful completion of the scheme it is expected to create around 8018 nos. of un-skilled mandays.

It is expected that on successful completion of the scheme the local economy will change thereby affecting the lives and livelihood of the villagers belonging to the scheduled tribe. It needs to be mentioned here that today the garden dwellers are dreaming of enhancing their oppurtunities for economic activity which once was closed and the workers went through severe hardships.

Details of the scheme so executed is as follows: