Jaraloo veg market gets push with land approval

The long-pending Jaraloo vegetable market project in Balh Assembly constituency of Mandi district has cleared a major hurdle with the Revenue Department approving 21 bighas of land for its construction. Agricultural Produce Market Committee Chairman Sanjeev Guleria announced this development during a press briefing here today, stating that the new vegetable market will be equipped with modern facilities including a cold store and a petrol station.

Guleria emphasised that land availability had been the main obstacle for the past three years, which has now been resolved due to APMC's persistent efforts. The market is expected to benefit farmers significantly by reducing post-harvest losses and offering better storage options.

He criticised current BJP MLA from Balh Inder Singh Gandhi for misleading the public, alleging that the foundation stone was laid by the previous government without proper land approval or budget allocation. The original DPR estimated a cost of Rs 19 crore, which may now change due to upgraded facilities.

Guleria assured there are no funding issues and that the matter would be taken up with the Chief Minister for quick allocation. The project is part of APMC's broader initiative, which includes the construction of five cold stores across Himachal Pradesh to support farmers.