Kerala minister manages farming amid leading Idukki's COVID battle

Minister of Electricity in Kerala, M M  Mani leads the State Government’s COVID battle in Idukki. He often finds time for farming in his 42 cents agriculture land from his busy schedule. During the COVID lockdown period, he heads the district’s COVID measures and finds time dedicated to farming in the absence of public events.

Idukki (Kerala): Minister of Electricity in Kerala, M M Mani, fondly known as ‘Maniashan’ by the people of Idukki, who leads the State Government’s COVID battle here, finds time for farming amid his hectic work schedule.

Mani, who belongs to a farmer's family which migrated to Idukki in 1955, is into farming whenever he gets some free time, even as he leads the COVID prevention measures in his district.

‘Maniashan’s’ 42 cents land here is bountiful with pepper vines, cardamom, and vegetables among others being cultivated. M M Mani’s passion for farming right from his childhood still holds strong.

After swearing-in as the Minister for the State, M M Mani did not relocate to Thiruvananthapuram owing to the love he has for the soil here, his little home in 20 acres of land and his cultivations which cant be left unattended.

In between his busy schedule, he comes home, at least once a week, and does all the pending work in his farmland before leaving for Thiruvananthapuram.

Maniashan’s’ farmland is a model for mixed and multi-farming practices. He grows cardamom, pepper, cocoa, nutmeg, vegetables, and various fruit trees in his land. He is also into poultry farming and cattle rearing, making his farmland a good model for mixed farming practices.

During the COVID lockdown period, he heads the district’s COVID measures and finds time dedicated to farming in the absence of public events.

“Grow vegetables and other plants at least for your own use, instead of whiling away your time during the COVID lockdown.” Minister M M Mani says.