Cabinet nod for fruit and Vegetable terminal at Bapgaon

Mumbai, June 11 (UNI) The Maharashtra government today approved a Rs 200-crore proposal for setting up a fruit and vegetable terminal market on 92-hectare land at Bapgaon in Bhiwandi tehsil of neighbouring Thane district.

The Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Federation would be handed over the land free of cost to set up the proposed project, according to an official statement.

The idea behind the project is to create a proper supply chain, provide the grading, packaging and processing facilities at one stop and to offer a better price to the farmers as well as consumers.

Farm produce brought by the farmers at the terminal would be sent to the various towns.

The project would cost Rs 200 crore, of which 30 per cent investment will be made by the promotors and 25 per cent through grants and remaining amount will be raised by way of debt or public-private initiative.

Meanwhile, the state cabinet at its meeting also gave a nod to send one of the two proposals to create Imported Timber Conversion Zone (ITCZ), to the high level committee of the Supreme Court, for necessary sanctions.

With this, reservation of the areas for processing of the imported timber as well as to set up saw mills, and plywood industry would become easier, the statement said.

The state government expects turnover of Rs 1,500-2,000 crore once the (ITCZ) gets established, besides, it would create direct and indirect employment for atleast 20,000 locals.

UNI