Kohima: Weekends in Kohima is set to spring alive with the Bloom Bazaar, a novel initiative by the Nagaland government to cultivate and elevate the flourishing floriculture sector in the state.
With a sanctioned amount of Rs 48 lakh, the weekend market will begin on Friday at ‘The Heritage’ near Kohima Raj Bhavan. The initiative will officially be launched by Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio on Saturday, informed Abu Metha, chairman of the Investment & Development Authority of Nagaland (IDAN) on Thursday.
Addressing a press conference at the venue, Metha said that the floriculture sector has somehow not come to front and centre. After deliberations with stakeholders including the Nagaland Flower Growers Society, Women Entrepreneurs Nagaland Network (WENN), Confederation of Commerce and Industries, and Business Association of Nagaland, he said that a conclusion was drawn that the flower industry is a booming sector in the state.
He pointed out how every Naga home hosts plants and flowers, making it an inherent quality of the Nagas. Nagaland, he observed, has a huge scope for the industry to progress. He assured of the government’s support to enhance and improve the sector.
The concept of Bloom Bazaar, he said, is to introduce an organised system to promote floriculture. The weekend bazaar will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 12PM-7PM at The Heritage. More than just flowers, the marketplace will host other local entrepreneurs and musicians, promising good food, jewelleries, crafts, art and music.
An initiative of IDAN, the Bloom Bazaar involves 15 government departments including the agri-allied departments, industries and commerce, and Missions such as Nagaland bamboo and honey. There will be free entry to the bazaar during the launching week and on subsequent weekends, an amount of Rs 30 will be charged for adults as entry fee and Rs 10 for children. Besides 45 stalls, recreational spaces and games for children will also be available at the marketplace.
To promote green-preneurs, he announced that the state government will be providing a floriculture scheme through which these entrepreneurs can avail loans with low interest rates. He hoped that through this scheme, the green-preneurs would upscale the floriculture sector and give a boost to the local economy. Financial institutions such as the North East Small Finance Bank, Nagaland Rural Bank, and Bank of Baroda will facilitate the loans.
He also hoped that flowers grown in Nagaland will someday make its mark at the national and international markets. In this regard, Metha assured of the state government’s support in exporting flowers.
For a holistic growth, he said that studies are conducted to import best quality seeds that can be grown in the state and capacity building programmes will be conducted.
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As per IDAN’s economic impact study, he said that the weekend marketplace is estimated to provide 450 weekend employment and about 300 employment. Entrepreneurs will be allotted slots at the marketplace on a rotational basis.
Metha hoped that the event would celebrate the Naga way of Life and showcase the best of the state to the outside world.
Home delivery of flowers and plants within the city and delivery outside the city and state will also be available during the market hours.
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