Kendrapara, Jun 1: Kusunpur village in Rajnagar block, Kendrapara district, has been chosen as one of five villages across India under the Government of India’s Smart Village Programme, spearheaded by CSIR‑Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Roorkee.

The other selected villages are located in Rajasthan, Meghalaya, Gujarat, and Ladakh.

Launched in March 2026 by the Director General of CSIR, the programme aims to tackle location‑specific challenges through scientific solutions.

Kusunpur was selected for its unique geographical constraints: severe summer water scarcity for farming, monsoon waterlogging with saline water, and salty groundwater from borewells. The local economy has long relied on low‑yield paddy and scattered mung cultivation.

To diversify farm income, CSIR‑Central Institute of Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow introduced aromatic crops in the village for the first time. Two acres of mentha and one acre of lemongrass have already been successfully cultivated.

Adding value at the grassroots, CSIR‑CIMAP scientists organized a Skill Development Training Programme for 60 women from four Self‑Help Groups (SHGs) — Sahada Sundari, Maa Matia Mangala Brundabati, Gayatree, and Maa Sarala.

Participants learned to prepare pinene‑based and lemon‑scented hygienic products such as toilet cleaner, dish wash, and floor cleaner using essential oils extracted from locally grown aromatic crops.

This initiative, part of CSIR’s Aroma Mission, aims to generate new income opportunities for rural women while promoting household hygiene. The SHGs will now produce and market these essential oil‑based products through their networks.

Other CSIR laboratories contributing to the Smart Village Programme include CSIR‑IMMT Bhubaneswar, CSIR‑IHBT Palampur, CSIR‑CFTRI Mysore, and CSIR‑CDRI Lucknow, each addressing distinct technological needs of the selected villages.