Badal inaugurates Asia's biggest multi-juice processing plant

Hoshiarpur, July 7 (UNI) Punjab Chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today inaugurated a multi fruit and vegetable processing plant, first of its own kind in the world and largest in Asia.

Built at the cost of Rs 38 crore, the plant at Jahan Khelan can process all fruits and vegetables being produced in India. The mega-project of Punjab Agro Juices Ltd can switch from processing of one fruit to another within a short span of four hours.

While interacting with mediapersons on the occasion, Mr Badal stressed that his government was taking prompt decisions to promote power, agriculture, education and industrial sectors in the state.

When asked to comment on his allowing de-notification of 76,000 hectares of agricultural land locked under the controversial Punjab Land Preservation Act, the Chief Minister said the decision would be implemented only after thorough discussion with legal experts.

Mr Badal said in view of the fact that Punjab was already facing 30 per cent shortage of power, it has been decided to set up thermal power plants at Goindwal Sahib, Nabha and Talwandi Sabo.

Almost all the preliminary formalities for installing the thermal plant at Goindwal had been completed and its installation will be started very shortly. With the installation of these thermal power plants, Punjab will have surplus power after five years, he said.

The Chief Minister claimed that the biggest achievement of his government was reinstallation of the refinery at Bhatinda.

Referring to the deteriorating condition in education field, he said it had been decided to set up at least three model schools in each segment of state assembly.

All required infrastructure including building, furniture, computers, laboratories, other equipments and teaching staff would be made available by the government to provide standard and modern education to the students of the area.

The Chief Minister also inaugurated the Van Mahautsav at local Gautam Nagar by planting a sapling of a tree and announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh for constructing an auditorium and a park at the site.

UNI