State to have 12 controlled atmospheric stores: CM

Tribune News Service

Parala (Shimla), May 25

Coming down heavily on fly-by-night commission agents, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today stated that the state government would set up 12 controlled atmospheric (CA) stores in the state.

He said the HPMC would set up a apple juice factory in Parala the next season. He announced a grant of Rs 106 crore for the widening of the Chaila-Parala-Neripul-Kumarhatti road, which would ease congestion on the Theog-Shimla highway.

He dedicated the Rs 12.75-crore Parala online market complex to the public today. “Parala Sabzi Mandi will be digitised and linked with the electronic online system. This will help farmers get information on fruit and vegetable rates in markets across the country,” the CM said, adding that the farmers would no longer have to face exploitation. He said the complex had shops, ripening chambers, refuse treatment and disposal facilities.

He said 12 controlled atmospheric cold stores would come up at various yards to check glut in the state’s markets. The CM urged the farmers to take to floriculture to reap benefits. He directed the APMC to set up the juice factory in Parala at the earliest. The HPMC is spending Rs 12.45 crore to develop the existing fruit processing plant at Parwanoo.

The CM asked the agriculture department and APMC to keep a tab on fly-by-night commission agents. He instructed them to impose a fine up to Rs 50 lakh on them.

He took a dig at the BJP government and former horticulture minister Narender Bragta, alleging that they almost sold the multi-crore Gumma carton factory set up by the Congress government for just Rs 1.50 crore.

He said the state was producing around 11 lakh metric tonnes of vegetables and about 8 lakh metric tonnes of fruits, adding that there were 52 marketing yards. The farmers should diversify into off season vegetables and floriculture for better results, he added.

He said science classes would soon be started at Senior Secondary School and Sainj School, adding that Bajrolipul High School would be upgraded to the senior secondary level.

The Irrigation and Public Health Department and Horticulture Minister Vidya Stokes said the BJP was playing politics in the name of Parala market while the Congress government delivered on its promises and set up market yards.

Transport and Technical Education Minister GS Bali, who had earlier distanced himself from the Chief Minister, was present at Jais for the ITI inauguration while Agriculture and MPP Minister Sujan Singh Pathania, along with Vidya Stokes, accompanied Virbhadra Singh at all functions in the Theog constituency.