by Punjabnewswire4u

RAMGARH SIKRI (HOSHIARPUR), NOV 5 

          The Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that the state government would make concerted efforts to develop the Kandi region as the “Herbal hub” of the country.

Interacting with the progressive farmers of the region after visiting the Sada Shiv Model, women self help group engaged in Agro food processing here today, the Chief Minister reiterated that Kandi area of the state has a rich bounty of natural resources which needs to be tapped for the economic progress of Punjab. Mr Badal said that if the farmers of the area make the optimum utilization of the products like Mango, Amla and others herbs produced in the area then it could be developed as a “Herbal hub” of the country. He said that in order to develop modern techniques of Agriculture in the Kandi region the state government was focusing on promoting Drip irrigation system in the area for which a pilot project has been conceived by the state government under which check dams would be constructed in 28 villages of Mukerian Sub Division.

The Chief Minister said that under the project drip irrigation would be encouraged in the region thereby motivating the farmers to cultivate crops like Amla, Aloe Vera, Mango and others which could be helpful in increasing their income fairly. He said that state government was making stupendous efforts for development of Agriculture in the region and two nurseries would be established in the region by state Horticulture department and Forest department for giving break through in the farming sector. Mr Badal said that while the Nursery established by Horticulture department would provides high yielding variety plants of Amla, Aloe Vera and other medicinal herbs, the other one to be established by the Forest department would focus of providing 15 lakh saplings of high yielding Bamboos thereby paving a way for the development of Agro-forestry in the region.

The Chief Minister also said that in its endeavor to develop Mango growing in the area the state government has already embarked a project at the cost of Rs 1.13 crore which would give the much required fillip to the development of new Mango varieties in the region. In a major relief to the farmers of the Kandi area, Mr Badal also announced that in order to prevent the loss of the farmers due to the frequent invasion of wild animals in their fields the state government would provide subsidized fences to group of farmers who wish to install it for stopping the intrusion of wild animals. He also said that in order to weed out ‘Latena’ which is harmful for the crops of the region, the state government would conduct a massive program under the NREGA scheme so that relief could be given to the farmers besides providing high quality pesticides to kill this weed.

The Chief Minister further said that in order to boost up the prospects of the seeting up of the Food processing industry in the region an ultra modern laboratory for testing the quality of products made by the Self Help groups of the area would be set up soon by the state government so that proper marketing of these products could be ensured both within the country and abroad. Appreciating the agro processing units in form of self help groups which were engaged in processing of fruits, vegetables and herbs, Mr Badal said that these were emerging as trend setter in the state by producing pickles, squashes, juices, chutneys, Trifla, aam chur etc.

Exhorting the people of the region to herald a new revolution in the state by setting up the agro based industry, the Chief Minister said that it could be instrumental in providing much required fillip to the economy of the state. Mr Badal assured them of all technical assistance and cooperation to popularize the concept of direct marketing as a mass movement in the rural sector to ensure remunerative returns of their produce. He also said that they were roping in the leading industrialists of the state and the country for marketing these products. Mr Badal also said that apart from it the state government was also imparting training to the self help groups engaged in food processing industry through key institutes like Mysore Food Technological Preserving Centre so as to equip them with better technical training in their field.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLAs Mrs Sukhjeet Singh Sahi and Mr Surinder Singh Bhullewalrathan and Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema.