Punjab CM orders to set up Litchi and Peer estate in state

Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: In a significant decision aimed at developing the state as a hub of Litchi and Peer cultivation, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today ordered the immediate release of Rs 8 crore for setting up Litchi and Peer Estate in the state.

Interacting with delegation of Litchi, Peer and Guava growers, who called on him here at Punjab Bhawan this morning, the Chief Minister asked the agriculture department to expedite the work to set up these estates which would be equipped with ultra modern laboratory, state-of-the art Nursery and Pack House facility to ensure grading and packing of Litchis and Peers. Mr. Badal said that all out efforts must be made to ensure that these estates were functional at the earliest so that farmers of the state could be benefitted from it. Likewise, he also gave nod for establishing a Litchi sub estate in Gurdaspur district for encouraging the farmers to adopt Litchi cultivation.

In another significant decision, the Chief Minister asked the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to make concerted efforts to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Litchi, Peer and Guava cultivators during the months of April, May and June. He directed the PSPCL to ensure regular power supply for atleast 10-15 hours as required by the Litchi, peers and Guava cultivators during these months.

Acceding to the demand of litchi cultivators, the Chief Minister promised to raise the issue of providing two ‘special bogeys’ daily in Jammu bound trains towards Mumbai and Pune from Pathankot, with the Union Railways Minister. He said that this would curtail the transport cost of litchi cultivators to transit their produce to Mumbai and Pune, which were big markets for it. Mr. Badal said that he would personally seek the intervention of Union Railways Minister to attach two ‘special bogeys’ daily in Mumbai and Pune bound trains from June 10 to July 10.
The Chief Minister also agreed to explore the feasibility of evolving a price stabilisation mechanism for Litchi, Peers and Guava to make its cultivation far more remunerative. He also asked the officers to ensure timely supply of pesticides and insecticides to the cultivators.
Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included MD Punjab Agro Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr. S Karunaraju, Secretary Mandi Board Mr. TPS Sidhu and Director Horticulture Dr. Gurkanwal Singh.
Delegation of Litchi, Peer and Guava growers included Mr. Kulwant Singh, Major (Retd.) Manmohan Singh, Mr. SS Cheena, Mr. AS Shah, Mr. Maqsood Singh, Mr. Inderjeet Singh, Mr. Arjun Singh, Mr. Gurdeep Singh, Mr. Sandeep Singh Randhawa, Mr. Prabhjot Singh and several others.