Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to interact with Katihar makhana farmers

Patna: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will visit Katihar on Wednesday when she will interact with ‘makhana’ (foxnut) farmers at Chandeli Bharra village in Kalsar panchayat under Hasanganj block, district magistrate (DM) Manesh Kumar Meena confirmed on Tuesday.In this year’s Union Budget, the finance minister has announced a makhana board to be set up in Bihar.“She will visit a farm-pond and observe ‘makhana’ farming-related activities. The FM will also visit a ‘makhana’ processing unit and take part in a financial inclusion programme. The FM will have a credit outreach programme with banks for financial inclusion. Her field visit is also scheduled in Chhitabari,” the DM told this newspaper.Sitharaman will return to Patna in the evening on way back to Delhi.In view of the FM’s visit, a high-level team of the Central Bank of India inspected the preparations.Sources said the FM will know about the traditional and modern methods of ‘makhana’ production from the farmers and how its production and processing can be made profitable for them.She is likely to meet farmers Mohan Thakur and Awadhesh Kumar Thakur of Chandeli Bharra.Katihar makhana farming recently hogged national limelight when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi went knee-deep into a ‘makhana’ pond during his Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar and interacted with the farmers engaged in its processing.