Punjab seeks Central Assistance to set up Mega Food Park

New Delhi, July 6 (UNI) Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh met Union Minister of State (Independent charge) Food Processing Industries Subodh Kant Sahai here today and sought central assistance for setting up a Mega Food Park either in Ludhiana or Jalanadhar.

He also apprised the Minister of the road, rail and air connectivity also supported by a dry port located at Ludhiana as this area is business and agriculture hub of Punjab.

The Punjab Minister said that the State Govt was very keen to set up a Mega Food Park as envisaged by Ministry of Food processing Industry in the 11th five year plan.

He said Punjab has been the grain bowl of the nation with less then two per cent of Geographical area, and contributing nearly 50 per cent of wheat and rice to the central pool.

Capt Singh requested Mr Sahai to give Punjab farmers what they need and they will definitely return back a lot to the Central pool of food grains.

He said that ''from a food importing country we will turn India into a food surplus country.'' The Cooperation Minister said over the years, the wheat and paddy rotation has led to ground water depletion, soil degradation as also stagnation of the agriculture production.

He said Punjab was emphasising on diversification in agriculture so that farmer shift from the traditional wheat and paddy cycle to high value maize crops/other agriculture business activities including Fruit and vegetables, basmati, Maize, pulses, oil seeds, Agro forestry, dairy and poultry farming, goat and sheep rearing etc.

Capt Singh further said it was the need of the hour to shift in the agriculture; it can take place only if it was adequately supported by value addition through processing and marketing.

Mr Sahai assured Capt Singh that the Government would provide every kind of help, financial as well as technical for the progress of Punjab state. He invited a team of senior officers of the State Govt along with the proposal for setting up of the Mega Food Park in Punjab at the earliest.

Earlier Capt Singh and Kusumjit Sidhu, Financial Commissioner Cooperation held a meeting with Dr M L Khurana, M D National Cooperative Housing Federation and requested to plan low cost housing proposal for the poor people in a big way through the cooperative group housing project.

He also stressed to raise the interest subsidy from five per cent to seven per cent for the houseless poor people of the State up to Rs 1.5 lakh loan.

UNI